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Friday, January 20, 2006
Overstaying American falls
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) 7 discovered a mail-order-bride business in Cebu City with the arrest last Jan. 17 of an overstaying American national who also allegedly faked his marriage to a Cebuana three years ago.
BI 7 Director Geronimo Rosas said the suspect, Woody Paul Petrea Sr., 39, of Georgia, USA, was arrested inside his Internet café in Barangay Camputhaw, Cebu City.
Petrea is detained at the immigration jail in Mandaue City pending his voluntary deportation at 12:45 p.m. tomorrow. Rosas allowed his voluntary deportation to spare the government from buying his plane ticket.
Immigration Special Prosecutor Serafin A. Abellon investigated him for working without a Department of labor and Employment permit and using his wife, Jan Debbie Pernia, as a dummy in his illegal business.
Under oath
Petrea admitted under oath that he married Pernia on Jan. 14, 2003 in Cebu City before “Judge Rosales.”
But immigration officers wondered how it happened when he arrived in Cebu on Jan. 24, 2003 yet, or 10 days later. He extended his stay and became an overstaying alien.
Immigration authorities have yet to determine if the Judge Rosales mentioned by Petrea is Judge Edgemelo Rosales of Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 8.
Rosas said he will recommend for the blacklisting of Petrea for being an undesirable alien. Pernia’s allegation that they separated two months ago because she could no longer bear being a battered wife can support their case against the American.
Petrea also admitted he and Pernia processed the visa and marriages of aliens who have Filipino girlfriends or fiancees in the Philippines and collect at least US$200 (P11,000) per client. While their business permit issued by Cebu City Hall is under the name Pointman Cebu Internet Café, the signboard is Cebu Tours.Com.
Consultant
Cebu City Councilor Arsenio Pacaña said he conferred with his legal consultant to study what the City Council can do to prevent similar businesses here.
“We will look into how the mail-order-bride business is being operated by Petrea and what damage it brought to Cebu,” Pacaña said.
In 2002, the Cebu Provincial Board passed a resolution asking Congress to immediately pass the Anti-Trafficking of Women and Minors Bill because the mail-order-bride industry reduces Filipino into mere sex commodities. (EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 20, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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