Immigration seeks deportation of Chinese taho thrower

MANILA, Philippines — The legal division of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) yesterday recommended the deportation of the female Chinese student who threw taho or soybean dessert at a policeman who barred her from entering the Metro Rail Transit 3 Boni Ave. station in Mandaluyong City after authorities banned liquid substances and food items as a security measure against bomb threats. 

BI spokesperson Dana Mengote-Sandoval said the division recommended to the BI Board of Commissioners (BOC) the deportation of 23-year-old Zhang Jiale for being an undesirable alien.

“Our legal team saw that there was probable cause to file a deportation case against her. The BI can file a case motu proprio, especially since there are photos showing what happened,” Sandoval said.

Zhang might face deportation for posing a risk to public interest in violation of immigration laws after she tossed the taho on Police Officer 1 William Cristobal last Feb. 9.

Aside from being deported, the Chinese would automatically be placed on the bureau’s watchlist upon approval of the deportation charge. 

Zhang, a freshman Bachelor of Fashion student at the School of Fashion and Arts (SoFA) Design Institute in Makati and a resident of Mandaluyong City, reportedly arrived in Manila last October with a special resident retiree’s visa.

Sandoval said as the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office found probable cause to file direct assault against Zhang, the BI would wait until the case has been settled in court, including the possibility of her being found guilty of the crime and sent to prison, before deporting her. 

Charges of direct assault were filed against Zhang before the Mandaluyong regional trial court by the City Prosecutor’s Office following inquest proceedings on charges filed by Cristobal last Sunday.

Assistant City prosecutor Leynard Dumlao set P12,000 bail for the temporary liberty of Zhang, said Chief Supt. Bernabe Balba, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD).

Zhang was able to post bail and was released from the Mandaluyong police jail.

“Respondent’s act is an abrasive affront against an officer in uniform representing a national institution,” read the inquest resolution approved by City Prosecutor Bernabe Augustus Solis.

If found guilty of direct assault, the Chinese student could be imprisoned for at least four years and two months and fined P1,000 under Article 148 of the Revised Penal Code.

Records showed that Zhang was entering the MRT Boni Station in Mandaluyong at around 8:30 a.m. last Saturday when she was stopped by security personnel because of the taho she was carrying.

The policeman told the student to consume the dessert first before she could enter the MRT platform because of the strict implementation of no-liquid policy in the mass transit system.

The MRT management has been implementing the no-liquid policy inside the station and train premises as part of security measures following the twin bombing at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu that killed at least 20.

During the commotion between Zhang and security personnel, Cristobal intervened and explained to the foreigner the reason for the ban on drinks inside the MRT.

But Zhang threw the cup of taho at the policeman.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente expressed his dismay over the incident.

“This is an utter display of disobedience and arrogance against a person of authority. The bureau will not tolerate such acts, as this shows disrespect to the country,” he said. 

The taho-throwing incident went viral on social media, with photos showing the uniform of PO1 Cristobal stained with taho. – With Edu Punay, Non Alquitran, Emmanuel Tupas