Iglesia’s estafa raps ground Chris Brown

Immigration officials prevented American recording artist Chris Brown from leaving the country on Wednesday due to an estafa case filed against him recently by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC).

Brown was scheduled to board a chartered flight at 2 p.m. from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Hong Kong where he was to hold another concert.

The controversial artist grabbed headlines in 2009 after he beat up his girlfriend at that time, singer Rihanna. Brown was in Manila for a concert Tuesday night at SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Brown was the subject of an immigration lookout bulletin (ILB) issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the estafa complaint filed by the INC over his failure to show up in last year’s New Year’s Eve concert at Philippine Arena.

He was supposed to be the main act in the “2015 Philippine Countdown” organized by the religious group.

Brown had claimed that he lost his passport a day before he was supposed to fly to Manila from Los Angeles for the Dec. 31 concert.

Also included in the ILB was Brown’s promoter, John Michael Pio Roda.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered the Bureau of Immigration to issue the bulletin based on the request of INC head counsel Glicerio Santos IV, who is also the chief operating officer of Maligaya Development Corp. (MDC), the administrator of the concert venue.

The lawyer said MDC secured Roda’s services to bring Brown to the country and have him perform at the concert.

“After making representations that Mr. Brown would perform thereat, and after having fully paid for both their services, Mr. Brown failed to appear and perform at the concert, to the damage and prejudice of MDC,” Santos told De Lima.

“We would appreciate any assistance you can provide us to protect the interest of the MDC, and ultimately to serve as an example to producers and talents who employ such fraudulent schemes to obtain money from legitimate businesses in the country,” Santos said in a letter.

Under the order, Brown and Roda must show an Emigration Clearance Certificate to be allowed to leave.

BI spokesperson Elaine Tan clarified that the ILB does not bar the subjects from leaving. “(It) merely directs the BI to be on the lookout and take prudent steps to verify the status of the criminal case against the subjects. If the concerned agency raises no objection to the departure, then we will allow the subject to leave,” she said.–With a report from Jerome Aning

LOOK OUT! Would recording artist Chris Brown have quipped, “Don’t wake me up,” had he known authorities would stop him from leaving the country on Wednesday, a day after his one-night concert? ARNOLD ALMACEN