Detained Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy will not be deported from the Philippines as Russia and the United States refused to accept him, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Sunday.
“Ang problema kasi namin, ang Russia, hindi siya tinatanggap, ang US naman, green card holder siya, hindi rin siya tinatanggap, so hindi namin alam kung saan siya papauwiin eh,” Remulla said in a statement.
(Our problem is that Russia is not accepting him, neither does the US where he is a green card holder. So we don’t know where to send him.)
Zdorovetskiy was nabbed by Philippine authorities in April for engaging in a series of law-breaking stunts, including videoing himself harassing Filipinos.
He will be facing trial next week for three counts of unjust vexation, with a possible imprisonment of three months to one year.
“We will service his sentence, sinigurado ko po ‘yun (I assure you that he will serve his sentence),” Remulla said.
Zdorovetskiy has asked Remulla to drop the charges against him, citing mental health concerns.
However, Remulla said Zdorovetskiy’s actions should never go unpunished. —KG, GMA Integrated News
