5 days ago
3 Pinoys facing charges in US opt for voluntary deportation
NEW YORK —Three Filipinos are currently undergoing voluntary deportation and are being assisted by the Philippine Consulate General offices in New York and San Francisco, California.
Among them is a 29-year-old man from Middlesex, Massachusetts, who was previously convicted of rape, aggravated rape of a child, rape of a child with force, four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.
Another Filipino, who is facing terrorism-related charges and is currently detained in Philadelphia, is also receiving assistance from the consulate.
According to New York Consular Officer Rovald Valdez of the Assistance to Nationals Section at the Philippine Consulate General in New York, the consulate is processing the travel documents of the two individuals and is awaiting guidance from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the status of their deportation.
He noted that there is a significant backlog of individuals who have applied for voluntary deportation.
Voluntary departure is a legal option that allows a non-citizen to leave the United States at their own expense by a deadline set by an immigration judge or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), without receiving a formal removal order.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco reported that a welfare check was conducted on a Filipino currently detained at the ICE Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado.
'The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco conducted a welfare check and consular visit on July 24, 2025, to a Filipino national in detention at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. The visit was undertaken ahead of the Consulate's Consular Outreach Mission in Colorado on July 25–26, 2025," it said.
It added that, during the visit, the Filipino national expressed his desire to return to the Philippines at the earliest possible time.
"He also conveyed his appreciation for the consular visit, welfare support, and other assistance provided by the consulate,' the statement further said.
Meanwhile, the Consulate in Los Angeles is monitoring the case of a Filipino who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation due to alleged ties with ISIS.
According to Consul Levi Malaylay, the consulate is in contact with the family of 29-year-old Filipino, who is currently in federal custody.
The consulate is also coordinating with authorities.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
