Chinese national who spat at police officer jailed in BI for overstaying

The Chinese national who spat at a Manila police officer and plowed through vehicles to escape traffic violation apprehension is now jailed at the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

The 50-year-old suspect, Zhou Zhiyi, is locked up at the BI’s detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City after the agency caught him for violating the Philippine Immigration Act, the BI said Wednesday.

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The bureau said Zhou entered the Philippines as a tourist last November 11, 2019, and was only give 30 days to stay here. He will be charged for overstaying and being an undesirable alien.

“I immediately dispatched a team of operatives from our Intelligence Division to effect his immediate arrest so he could also be charged for violating our immigration laws,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said in a statement.

Also read: Corpse of Chinese national found floating in Manila Bay

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Chinese national who spat at police officer jailed in BI for overstaying

The suspect had been granted bail on another charge before the BI arrested him at the Manila Police District’s headquarters in Manila.

BI acting intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said Zhou was already overstaying in the country when the spitting incident occurred on February 6.

Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau personnel asked Zhou to pull over because his car violated the number coding scheme.

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But instead of stopping, the Chinese drove the SUV to flee and hit other vehicles.

The Chinese national was cornered at Tayuman and Abad Santos Avenue, after colliding with three motorcycles, an e-tricycle, and a car.

A policeman then ordered the suspect to alight the vehicle for an inspection. Authorities recovered a sachet of suspected shabu estimated to weigh a gram worth P6,500. Two crumbled strips of aluminum foil were seized from the suspect.

The Chinese suddenly spit at the policeman after he was handcuffed. The incident was caught on video and now circulating on social media. The video showed the suspect was asking the police to release him from the handcuffs.