Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said arrested Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy will serve his sentence in the Philippines and will not be deported to his home country.
In a radio interview, Remulla said Zdorovetskiy is facing trial next week for three counts of unjust vexation, with possible jail time of three months to one year.
“We will service his (Zdorovetskiy) sentence, I guarantee that,” Remulla said.
Zdorovetskiy was arrested last April 3, 2025. He is currently detained for harassing Filipinos in public while filming vlogs.
Remulla said deportation is not an option, as both Russia and the United States, where Zdorovetskiy is a green card holder, refused to accept him.
“Our problem is Russia did not accept him (Zdorovetskiy). The US, where he is green card holder, also rejected him. So, we do not know where to send him back,” he explained.
Remulla also shared that the vlogger had written to him, pleading for the charges to be dropped, citing mental health issues.
Once proven guilty, Remulla said Zdorovetskiy may serve up to 18 months in a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility.