ANGELES CITY -- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport a former US Air Force service man wanted by US federal authorities for pilferage of oil supplies in a military base in Iraq.

Robert John Jeffrey, 56, is facing charges at a district court in Eastern Virginia for pilfering at least US$40 million worth of oil supplies while on duty in Iraq in 2007.

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BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said the former US Airman was arrested by immigration agents last November inside a bar at Anunas village in Angeles City.

Libanan said the arrest was made on a request and information provided by the US Embassy in Manila that said Jeffrey has sought refuge in the country.

"He will be deported soon as the Immigration Board of Commissioners issues the order for his summary deportation," the Immigration chief said.

A team of US Marshals will fetch Jeffrey in Manila and escort him back to the US to stand trial before a district court in Eastern Virginia, which issued a warrant for his arrest on August 8 last year.

BI technical assistant for intelligence Victor Boco said the former airman has conspired with other suspects in conducting a systematic pilferage of petroleum and oil products inside a US military base in Iraq.

Libanan said Jeffrey is considered an undocumented and illegally staying alien in the Philippines since the US State Department had already canceled his passport.

The bureau's travel database revealed that Jeffrey arrived in Manila on April 27 last year and was admitted as a tourist for 21 days.

Boco said Jeffrey would be placed in the immigration blacklist order to prevent him from re-entering the country after his deportation.