Russian vlogger faces deportation after harassing Filipinos in BGC

Mugshot of Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy —Photo from the Bureau of Immigration

MANILA, Philippines — A Russian vlogger who drew the public’s ire for harassing Filipinos in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig is now under the custody of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) pending his deportation.

Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, 33, was arrested and is now under custody in the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa following his controversial livestream, which went viral on April 1.

In the livestream, Zdorovetskiy was seen grabbing a security guard’s hat, attempting to seize the gun of another security guard, and threatening to rob a woman.

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“Harassment and disruptive behavior have no place in our society, and we will take swift action against offenders,” said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado in a statement on Thursday.

“Our laws exist to protect the welfare of Filipinos. Let this serve as a reminder that while we welcome visitors, those who fail to respect our people and our laws will face the consequences,” he warned.

Zdorovetskiy, sporting a smile in his mugshot, is now an “undesirable foreign national” in the country.

He has over 10 million subscribers on YouTube, where he uploads mostly prank videos.

“The Philippines welcomes visitors from all over the world, but those who abuse our hospitality and violate our laws will be held accountable,” Viado said.