BI agents nab 2 American fugitives in separate operations

MANILA, Philippines — Two Americans wanted in the United States for assault and felony battery were arrested in separate operations this month, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Thursday.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said American fugitives were arrested by BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) in Baguio City and Mandaluyong City.

Apollo Cioffi, 46, was arrested on March 1 inside a mall in Baguio City. He was wanted by the authorities in California for assault.

BI said a superior court in San Francisco had issued an arrest warrant against Cioffi.

Meanwhile, William Schweizer, 32, was arrested on March 5 inside his home at Tivoli Garden Residences in Mandaluyong.

Schweizer’s arrest came after a court in Broward County, Florida issued an arrest warrant for felony battery by strangulation.

BI-FSU Chief Bobby Raquepo said suspects have been overstaying in the Philippines as undocumented aliens as their passports have been revoked by the State Department.

Raquepo said Cioffi and Schweizer have been hiding in the country since March 10, 2018 and July 2015, respectively.

Morente said the suspects will be deported and banned from entering the Philippines.

“Like all the other foreign fugitives whom we have arrested in the past, we will deport these two undesirable aliens and ban them from re-entering the Philippines,” Morente said in a statement. “They have no place in our country, as their presence here poses a risk to our people.” /ee