Russian vlogger posts bail, remains detained

MANILA, Philippines — Though Russian-American vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy posted bail for criminal cases that include unjust vexation, he remains detained as the Bureau of Immigration (BI) continues to hear his deportation case.

Zdorovetskiy gained notoriousness after posting vlogs threatening to rob a Filipina before calling her a “liberal f**k” for wearing a face mask, harassing security guards, riding a patrol motorcycle unauthorized and stealing an electric fan.

He was previously under the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology but was turned over to the BI after the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 153 in Taguig allowed him to post bail.

“Because he faces a deportation case, even if he files for bail for his local cases, he will still be returned to the custody of the BI,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a statement on Friday.

According to Viado, even if the BI orders his deportation, Zdorovetskiy won’t be forced out of the country until he serves his sentence for his local cases, should there be any.

“Justice will be served to the fullest extent. Foreign guests are expected to follow the law during their stay in the Philippines. We will not allow them to abuse our hospitality and disrespect our people and our country,” Viado said

Zdorovetskiy is detained at the BI holding facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa.

He was arrested on April 3 based on a mission order declaring him an undesirable alien.