Forced incarceration’: American archivist responds to Las Piñas hospital amid passport issue

[Dave Hounddriver]

13 hours ago, mountainside said:

Maybe it's my own insanity, but I'd be hesitant to falsely claim my passport lost or stolen at the risk of spending up to ten years in federal prison. 

The report form says "describe in detail how you lost it".  Say:  I left it at the hospital desk when I went in for surgery and now they will not return it.  The USA passport office may be different, but in Canada they understand how the world works.

 

[mountainside]

3 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

The USA passport office may be different, but in Canada they understand how the world works.

It may be well be true that Canada understands how the world works better than the US does.  But for Yanks, the only available options in the reporting form are lost or stolen.  https://eforms.state.gov/Forms/ds64.pdf  

[Mike J]

18 hours ago, manofthecoldland said:

all because he disputes a PORTION of his incurred medical billing.

How much was the original bill and how much has paid?  What I had read made it sound like he skipped out on the bill.  As far as the passport, the hospital say they offered to release it and no one has yet shown up to pick it up.   The whole story is, as others has said, it confusing and hard to sort out.   About the only thing really clear is that he has overstayed and subject to deportation and potentially blacklisted.

[manofthecoldland]

10 minutes ago, Mike J said:

How much was the original bill and how much has paid?  What I had read made it sound like he skipped out on the bill.  As far as the passport, the hospital say they offered to release it and no one has yet shown up to pick it up.   The whole story is, as others has said, it confusing and hard to sort out.   About the only thing really clear is that he has overstayed and subject to deportation and potentially blacklisted.

That was my initial impression when I wrote my first post. Right after, PI Wannabe, I believe , stated that it was the operational portion he was contesting.  I never pursued the details to verify. Still not sure, but I gave him possible credence.

[mountainside]

This story doesn't have a clear timeline, so I've tried to sort it out.  Here's what I've learned (and of course I might be mistaken):

Mr. Tewell and Perpetual Help Medical Center agree that he underwent surgery at PHMC in 2018.  PHMC says Tewell was there from October 1 to November 14, 2018.  Tewell’s deportation and blacklist order shows that he entered the Philippines on September 2, 2019 on a one year visa – presumably on a valid US passport.  That must have been the passport that Tewell handed over to PHMC, at least nine months after he was discharged from the hospital.

PHMC says that on September 10, 2020 they sent a letter to Tewel’s lawyer, informing him that Tewell’s passport was available for pick-up.  They say the passport has never been retrieved.

Had Tewitt or his lawyer retrieved his passport within a week or so of being informed that he could pick it up, Tewitt would have been an overstayer by a only couple of weeks.

He could have appeared at BI, paid the fines and fees, and extended his Balikbayan visa.  

But for whatever reason, that didn’t happen -- and Mr. Tewell is now an overstayer by more than 2 ½ years.

After he recently posted his account on his FB page, someone asked him there whether the US Embassy (knowing of his circumstances) could issue him a new passport.  He responded: “Regardless, Money wins. The Hospital has plenty... I don't. It is not difficult to understand.”

[Dave Hounddriver]

18 minutes ago, mountainside said:

I've tried to sort it out

Very clear now.  Thanks.  Seems like the guy is just our basic attention seeker.

[Mike J]

9 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Very clear now.  Thanks.  Seems like the guy is just our basic attention seeker.

And playing "the victim".  My opinion of course.

[Possum]

Well, well another nuts foreigner. Thanks for the info.

[hk blues]

3 hours ago, Greglm said:

Well, well another nuts foreigner. Thanks for the info.

We sure do get more than put fair share of them here - maybe it's the nature of the beast in places like this and a high proportion of older ex-pats? 

[GeoffH]

35 minutes ago, hk blues said:

We sure do get more than put fair share of them here - maybe it's the nature of the beast in places like this and a high proportion of older ex-pats? 

It's possible that untreated dementia is higher amongst older expats than would be the case in of our home countries where medical support is generally more readily available.