BI nabs American wanted in US for molesting child
THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the arrest of an American “pedophile” wanted by authorities in Wisconsin for “sexually molesting” a child nearly two decades ago.
In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the 62-year-old fugitive was arrested in Ermita, Manila, last Feb. 9 by operatives from the bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU).
Tansingco said he issued a mission order for the American’s arrest at the request of the US authorities in Manila, which sought the BI’s help in locating and deporting the sex offender.
“We will deport him as soon the BI board of commissioners issues the order for his summary deportation, after which he will be blacklisted and banned from re-entering the country,” Tansingco added.
He stressed that the suspect’s continued presence here poses a threat to Filipinos.
According to BI-FSU chief Rendel Ryan Sy, the American is wanted to stand trial before a circuit court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin which issued a warrant for his arrest on Feb. 26, 2003, after he was charged with sexual assault of a child.
He, however, eluded arrest in the US, and on Oct. 6, 2006, he fled to the Philippines and has never left the country since then.
Sy said the suspect is already an “undocumented alien” due to the cancellation of his passport by the US State Department.
He is currently held at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings. BY JUN I. LEGASPI & HECTOR LAWAS
