By Jun Ramirez
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) detained Tuesday the Chinese student who splashed a cup of taho (soybean curd drink) on a police officer during an argument at an MRT station last Saturday.
BI spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said BI intelligence operatives detained Zhang Jiale on the strength of a mission order from Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente.
Chinese Jiale Zhang, 23, was arrested after throwing taho at Police Officer 1 William Cristobal at Metro Rail Transit Line 3 Boni Station in Mandaluyong City (Photo by National Capital Region Police Office / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Zhang has already been charged as an undesirable alien for posing as a risk to public interest,” said Sandoval, adding that the incident showed her disrespect to a person of authority.
The 23-year-old Zhang could face deportation and eventual blacklisting. The BI board of commissioners will decide her case in the next few weeks.
The incident spread on social media and drew derision for Zhang, who had gone into a tantrum after being prohibited from entering the MRT station with the beverage.
She posted bail after being charged with direct assault, disobedience to an agent of a person in authority, and unjust vexation by the Mandaluyong City prosecutor’s office.
Sandoval said Zhang’s court case and her immigration case were different matters.
“Her court case will run independent of her immigration case and if found deportable, we will wait for the resolution of her court case before implementing the deportation,” she said.
Zhang was taken to the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending deportation proceedings.(Jun Ramirez)