Bureau of Immigration (BI) agents arrested in Batangas an overstaying American who was accused of being undesirable alien by his alleged battered Filipina common-law wife.
In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, BI intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said 61-year-old Reuben Henry Hartfield was arrested on Tuesday in Tanauan City after attending a court hearing on the case filed against him by his partner.
Morente ordered the arrest of Heartfield when informed that the latter is already an overstaying alien.
It was learned that a similar complaint for undesirability was filed by the victim against Hartfield before the BI which led to his subsequent arrest and possible deportation.
Manahan said the deportation complaint against the American stemmed from the charge of Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act, or Republic Act 9262, which his estranged Filipina partner filed before the court.
He is presently detained at the BI’s detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending conduct of deportation proceedings.
Even if ordered deported, however, Hartfield will have to wait the resolution of his criminal case which under trial at the Tanauan municipal court.
If convicted, he will have to serve his sentence before he could be deported.