BI deports 2 American fugitives

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration on Thursday deported two Americans who were both fugitives from justice in the United States.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. identified the two as Timothy Allen Avramidis and Scott Matthews Schwanke.

“The fugitives were expelled pursuant to deportation orders issued against them by the BI board of commissioners and at the request of the US embassy in Manila,” David said in a statement.

They were also placed on the immigration blacklist thus barring their reentry into the Philippines, he added.

Avramidis and Schwanke were escorted by US marshals and BI-Interpol agents on board a Philippine Airlines flight to Los Angeles, California.

Lawyer Maria Antonette Mangrobang, BI acting intelligence chief, said Avramidis was arrested on April 18 in Carmona, Cavite, while Schwanke was picked up in Talisay City two days earlier.

Avramidis apparently went by the name Tim Allen in the Philippines and worked as the manager of the Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Carmona.

Mangrobang said Avramidis was wanted on worthless checks charges in Florida, while Schwanke faced marijuana distribution charges in Wisconsin.

She said the US government had earlier revoked the passports of the two, making them undocumented aliens.

The BI said it would also deport a Taiwanese fugitive identified as Chang Wen-Yuan who was arrested on April 18 in Caloocan City.

Chang is wanted in Taipei on theft and fraud charges.

The Taiwanese government, through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Manila, cancelled Chang’s passport, the BI said.