Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has favored comedienne Marietta Subong, better known as Pokwang, in her deportation case against her former partner Lee O’Brian.
Pokwang shared a report by legal news website Abogado about the BI’s ordered deportation of O’Brian, the cancellation of his pre-arranged employment visa, and placing him on the bureau’s blacklist.
The comedienne’s legal counsel Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan said the BI’s eight-page resolution was dated December 12, 2023 and signed by Commissioner Norman Tansingco and Deputy Commissioners Joel Anthony Viado and Daniel Laogan.
Calinisan offered his gratitude to the BI and said O’Brian must be held accountable for his actions of illegally working in the country.
“Sa totoo lang, ang laban na ito ay laban ng Pilipino sa isang abusadong dayuhan sa ating sariling bayan,” the lawyer said in a statement. “Pinaglaban din natin dito ang kapakanan ng lahat ng kababaihang umiiyak at naghahanap ng hustisya at respeto sa kanilang sarili. Para sa inyo ito.”
Pokwang also expressed her thanks in a statement for the assistance given to her and Malia, her daughter with O’Brian, “Ngayon, lalo kong susubukan na maging mahusay na ina at ama sa aking anak. Lalo pa akong magsisikap sa araw-araw para maitaguyod ko ang aking pamilya.”
The comedienne first filed the deportation case last June, claiming O’Brian kept renewing his tourist visa. She also filed complaints against O’Brian for financial abuse, intimidation and abandonment of their daughter.
O’Brian was with Pokwang for six years before they split in 2021. He previously filed a counter-affidavit against the deportation case. — Kristofer Purnell
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Credit belongs to: www.philstar.com
