BI warns foreigners- Not exempt to ECQ

[Jollygoodfellow]

Follow ECQ laws lest face deportation, foreigners told

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday reminded foreigners that they are not exempted from the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) protocols in the midst of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

With the rapid spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente warned foreigners that disobedience to the existing ECQ laws may lead to their arrest and deportation.

He said that these rules are not exclusive to Filipinos.

“The ECQ guidelines were placed to promote public health and safety among members of the society. That means everyone, including foreign nationals. Aliens who disregard the law may face deportation,” he said.

Morente shared that Section 6 of Bayanihan to Heal as One Act states that alien offenders shall be penalized and deported.

"Aliens who blatantly disregard our laws, especially during this critical period, not only face criminal charges but also immigration deportation cases as well," he warned. "If deported, alien offenders will be perpetually barred from returning to the country," he added.

Said reminder came following a viral video of a foreign national in Makati who reportedly refused to abide by ECQ policies, as well as the recent raid of an online gaming company employing aliens despite the COVID-19 lockdown.

Morente expressed his dismay at said incidents and assured the public that foreign nationals who will not observe ECQ protocols will be sanctioned. “This is not just about the utter disrespect towards our laws. It is more importantly about putting everybody else’s health at risk,” he said.

[Dave Hounddriver]

You fellows all be good over there.  Remember that only the cops and Philippine politicians are allowed to be arrogant now.  The day of the arrogant foreigner is coming to an end.  The longer I stay away from the Philippines the more I realize it ain't paradise any more.  No more "live like a king on $1000 a month".  I loved the place 10 years ago but it ain't half the place it used to be.

I'll tell ya one story.  An expat i know personally got deported on some silly trumped up charge.  That was about a year ago and it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him.  He brought his Filipina partner to another SE Asia location and they are happy as the proverbial pigs in shit.

[MikeB]

Well, I wouldn’t call any place that institutes an alcohol ban “paradise”. And come on DH, don’t the police in Canada throw foreigners on the ground and arrest them for having the audacity to question their authority when they storm their private property because the maid and gardener aren’t wearing their masks? I know, it’s THEIR country, I get it. Besides I ALWAYS gave the Philippine politicians and pulis exactly the respect they deserved. “Because the cops don’t need you and, man, they expect the same” is a concept I lived by long before it was written down. But it might be time to relax that alcohol ban.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, MikeB said:

come on DH, don’t the police in Canada throw foreigners on the ground and arrest them for having the audacity to question their authority when they storm their private property because the maid and gardener aren’t wearing their masks?

 Yeah sure

They do that with the same frequency the deport foreigners who are here legally.

[Snowy79]

1 hour ago, MikeB said:

Well, I wouldn’t call any place that institutes an alcohol ban “paradise”. And come on DH, don’t the police in Canada throw foreigners on the ground and arrest them for having the audacity to question their authority when they storm their private property because the maid and gardener aren’t wearing their masks? I know, it’s THEIR country, I get it. Besides I ALWAYS gave the Philippine politicians and pulis exactly the respect they deserved. “Because the cops don’t need you and, man, they expect the same” is a concept I lived by long before it was written down. But it might be time to relax that alcohol ban.

I think if anyone has watched the complete video they will see the guy got the treatment he fully deserved. The short version is the police had been called out by the President of the residents committee following lots of complaints of breaking the ECQ rules.

The police saw the maid standing on the public road and warned her about her mask and a possible 1k fine.  The foreigners wife came out to talk to the policeman who said he'd just make a note of it,  at that the foreigner came out and he'd been drinking and started getting abbusive to the policemen who radioed for assistance.  His senior was there and explained if there was an issue take it up with the Barangay.  The policeman's senior actually told his junior just to write it in his blotters book but not as a charge.  The foreigner kept approaching the policeman and getting abbusive while not wearing a mask and a few times he went onto the public road and the policeman had to keep backing away to keep a safe distance.

Eventually the policeman got fed up being sworn at and called stupid so he attempted to arrest the guy who put up a struggle then eventually ran into his house. It would have stopped there but the next morning the foreigner posted on social media a cut down version saying the police invaded his private property without a warrant and physically assaulted him and that they were going to sue the police.  He threw in a few bits about them being stupid etc.

Due to the social media uproar the policeman and his senior felt they had to defend the policeman's action so they put a formal request in to have the foreigner charged, they also released a full video which showed the foreigner being a dick basically.

[OnMyWay]

8 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

they also released a full video which showed the foreigner being a dick basically.

I agree.  He deserved what he got.

 

3 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

You fellows all be good over there.  Remember that only the cops and Philippine politicians are allowed to be arrogant now.  The day of the arrogant foreigner is coming to an end.  The longer I stay away from the Philippines the more I realize it ain't paradise any more.  No more "live like a king on $1000 a month".  I loved the place 10 years ago but it ain't half the place it used to be.

I'll tell ya one story.  An expat i know personally got deported on some silly trumped up charge.  That was about a year ago and it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him.  He brought his Filipina partner to another SE Asia location and they are happy as the proverbial pigs in shit.

Dave, I'm going to be honest.  Perhaps it is time to move on from being the moderator of a PHILIPPINES EXPAT forum when you are no longer an expat and 80% of you posts are negative.  Of course that is an estimate but I have noticed a big swing in the negative direction.

I have great respect for your knowledge of the Philippines and have enjoyed and learned from your posts for many years.  However, some of us choose to live here and stay positive despite the challenges.  Constant negativity wears thin.

[AusExpat]

On 4/28/2020 at 3:44 PM, Jollygoodfellow said:

Said reminder came following a viral video of a foreign national in Makati who reportedly refused to abide by ECQ policies, as well as the recent raid of an online gaming company employing aliens despite the COVID-19 lockdown.

Morente expressed his dismay at said incidents and assured the public that foreign nationals who will not observe ECQ protocols will be sanctioned. “This is not just about the utter disrespect towards our laws. It is more importantly about putting everybody else’s health at risk,” he said.

 

 

It would help if each area didn't have their own rules and change them constantly.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Not gonna say he deserved what he got - but he asked for it.

The cops told the maid to put on a mask because she was not on their property (in the street is not your property). She was going inside for a mask. There was no issue until this idiot went outside to start a fight.  Well... he found what he was looking for.  I hope it made him happy. 

[Mike J]

8 minutes ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

Not gonna say he deserved what he got - but he asked for it.

The cops told the maid to put on a mask because she was not on their property (in the street is not your property). She was going inside for a mask. There was no issue until this idiot went outside to start a fight.  Well... he found what he was looking for.  I hope it made him happy. 

I agree.  Just makes it more difficult for those of us who try to be polite and abide by the system even we may not always agree with it.

[MikeB]

1 hour ago, Snowy79 said:

I think if anyone has watched the complete video they will see the guy got the treatment he fully deserved.

I just watched a 2 min video preceding the part I had seen before when the cop first shows up and tries to reason with him. A drunken, obnoxious a_h. So yeah, he deserved it.