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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider South African 'fugitive' arrested in Mandaue City -- BI

South African 'fugitive' arrested in Mandaue City -- BI

Published Mar 22, 2026 11:33 am
A South African, who is wanted in Kenya for alleged sexual assault, has been arrested in Mandaue City by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado identified the foreigner as Michael James Ballantine, 42, who was arrested last March 18 by operatives of the BI-Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) while he was at the bureau’s Cebu District Office.
Viado said that Ballantine is the subject of a red notice issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for charges of sexual assault and compelled indecent acts under Kenya’s Sexual Offences Act of 2006.
Reports received by the BI from the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) stated that Ballantine is wanted by Kenyan authorities for incidents that occurred in August 2024 for assaulting his victims inside his vehicle.
The BI said the same reports stated that a warrant of arrest was issued against Ballantine by a Kenyan court in September 2024, and an Interpol Red Notice was subsequently published in October 2024 after he evaded capture.
It said that Ballantine arrived in the Philippines in December 2024 as a temporary visitor.
It added that his authorized stay in the Philippines expired in 2025. Ballantine was included in the blacklist and declared an undesirable alien and a fugitive from justice.
After his arrest, Ballantine was detained at the BI’s Region 7 office where he will undergo deportation proceedings.
Viado said: “Foreign nationals who commit crimes, especially those involving sexual offenses, are not welcome in the Philippines. We will not allow our country to be used as a refuge by fugitives attempting to evade justice in their home countries.”
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