BI blacklists expat in altercation with cop over masks

MANILA, Philippines The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has blacklisted a Spanish national who figured in an altercation with a police officer over quarantine protocols at a posh village in Makati City in April.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, in a statement on Tuesday, said he gave the order on June 3 after confirming that Javier Salvador Parra had yet to return since leaving the country three days after the incident on April 26.

“Now that he has been placed in our Immigration blacklist, he is now perpetually banned from reentering the Philippines for being an undesirable alien,” Morente said.

Undeserving

“Foreigners who disrespect our laws and persons of authority do not deserve the privilege to stay in our country,” he added.

The 49-year-old Parra and Police Senior Master Sgt. Roland Von Madrona figured in an altercation after the policeman called out the foreigner’s helper for not wearing a face mask while watering plants outside their house at Dasmariñas Village.

Viral video

In a video of the incident that went viral, Parra defended his helper, saying she was within his property. However, he swore at and uttered unsavory words at the policeman who then lost his cool and tried to arrest him. The incident ended with Parra fleeing inside his house.

Morente said he issued the blacklist order against the foreigner to “serve notice” and “warn” others that they should not break the country’s laws and insult policemen who were merely enforcing the law.

BI records showed that Parra left on April 29 aboard a Qatar Airways flight to Doha en route to his final destination in Madrid.

“Parra was allowed to leave since there were no formal charges yet that were filed against him in court or by the BI which was then investigating and conducting a case buildup against him,” said BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr.

The foreigner was reportedly given until May 21 to submit his counteraffidavit. A notice asking him to answer the allegations against him was served at his residence which he apparently ignored, prompting the BI to charge him for deportation on the ground of desirability.

Disregarding the notice

Manahan said Parra could have filed his answer to the allegations through his lawyer even if he was out of the country, adding that “it was obvious that he really intended to disregard the notice by just ignoring it.” It was earlier reported that the police filed separate criminal complaints for various offenses against Parra in the Makati prosecutor’s office.