Chris Brown finally allowed to leave

MANILA, Philippines - After begging on bended knees to the Philippine government and sounding out the US president for help, Grammy award-winning singer Chris Brown finally left the country yesterday afternoon.

Bureau of Immigration chief Siegfred Mison said last night that the 26-year-old Brown was given an Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) at around 4:30 p.m. by the bureau’s satellite office in Makati City.

Brown’s departure was held for two days due to a fraud complaint against him for a canceled concert last New Year’s Eve.

“We gave him an ECC because we were able to accomplish the task that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima gave us in the Immigration Lookout Bulletin (ILB), which is to call the proper agency. We were on a lookout and we asked Mr. Brown to appear (before the BI) and get an ECC,” Mison said.

Mison said it’s up to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to confirm Brown’s flight details.

Brown was reportedly headed to Macau where he had a scheduled concert last night.

The R&B artist was prevented from leaving Manila after running afoul of a corporation, run by the Iglesia ni Cristo, that filed a fraud complaint against him for a canceled New Year’s Eve gig. He performed Tuesday at a packed concert at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Journalists saw Brown and around 10 others boarding his private plane parked at an airport hangar, with one taking a selfie before going into the plane. Brown was reportedly dancing his way to the plane.

BI spokesperson Elaine Tan said the ECC was issued after “verifying that Chris Brown has no other derogatory record apart from the (immigration lookout bulletin)” that was issued Wednesday.

When asked if Brown had made any commitment to the BI to return to the country if required by the court, Mison said there was no such arrangement. “It is really a matter between the lawyers of Mr. Brown and his promoter and the NPS (National prosecution Service).”

As for Brown’s promoter John Michael Pio Roda, the BI chief said they had him detained because he committed an Immigration violation.

He reportedly committed two Immigration offenses, namely: working without permit and defrauding his creditors by absconding.

Mison explained that Brown was not included in the absconding complaint because the complainants reportedly only negotiated with Roda for the concert last December that would have featured the singer.

Roda, a Canadian citizen, would have to settle the complaint before he would be deported.

“He would have to answer the allegations in the complaint. He has already been charged in the BI and there would be a Board of Special Inquiry (BSI) hearing wherein we would assess if he should really be deported,” Mison added.

Delay in getting EEC

Earlier, De Lima advised Brown to coordinate with the BI and secure an ECC.

She said either Brown himself or a representative may secure the ECC.

Tan earlier said that Brown was not restricted to his hotel room. Since there was no warrant issued against him, he could freely roam the streets of Metro Manila.

When asked if there were Immigration personnel stationed outside the hotel where the international celebrity was staying to ensure that he would not make an attempt to leave the country, Tan said, “I am not aware. There was no such directive from Commissioner Mison.”

De Lima reiterated that the BI’s ILB “does not serve as a basis to prevent Chris Brown from leaving the country.”

She also said that the estafa case filed against the foreigner had been raffled off by the NPS, which is under the DOJ. They have not yet issued a subpoena for Brown, whose real name is Christopher Maurice Brown. She said it’s up to the NPS to decide when to issue the subpoena. “But of course, the NPS is aware that there is a sense of urgency here.”

She admitted that Brown might not show up during the preliminary investigation. “The preliminary investigation could be waived. There is no compulsory process. While the NPS would issue a subpoena, it is up to the respondent if he would participate.”

On bended knees

Earlier yesterday, Brown got down on his knees in a desperate appeal to be allowed to leave.

“Please, please, let us leave, please,” Brown said in a video posted on his official Instagram account, showing him on his knees inside what appeared to be his hotel room. He ended the plea with his signature backflip. The post was later taken down.

He also appeared to send a thinly veiled distress signal to US President Barack Obama as he captioned the post: “OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!”

In two subsequent Twitter posts Brown said: “This is a very serious situation and someone needs to be held accountable for mixing my name up in all this. I’ve done nothing wrong!!!” – Evelyn Macairan, AP