New BI unit nabs American woman in Pampanga

An American woman wanted by US authorities for stealing funds from a bank in Alaska was arrested by agents of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI). Antonietta Robinson, 48, of Alaska was arrested on June 13 in Barangay Claro M. Recto, Angeles City, Pampanga, BI Intelligence chief Antonette Mangrobang said Friday. Elements of the newly formed BI Fugutive Search Unit staged the arrest, Mangrobang said. Robinson is now detained at the BI jail in Bicutan, Taguig City, the intelligence chief added. The American will be deported as soon the BI board of commissioner issue the order, Mangrobang said. Robinson has been on the bureau’s wanted list since early this year after a warrant of deportation was issued against her by then Immigration officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma, said BI intelligence officer Uso Dan Salasim, who heads the FSU. She used to live in a resettlement area in Mabalacat, Pampanga where thousands of families displaced by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption live, Salasim said. Immigration records showed that Robinson arrived in the country on Jan. 12, 2006. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents under assistant legal attaché James Windsor also took part in the operations against Robinson, according to the Immigration Bureau. An outstanding arrest order was issued by a US district court in Alaska against Robinson who was charged with theft and bank fraud in October 2008, the bureau added. With her passport already cancelled by the US State Department, Robinson was deemed an undocumented alien when she was her arrested, the bureau said. — VS, GMA News