THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested an American woman facing trial in the US for contempt of court and defying a court order in a child custody case.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said Cyndie Mamuad Mesina, 54, was arrested by agents of the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) along Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila on Thursday.
It was discovered that Mesina is already an overstaying alien, and does not possess a valid travel document as confirmed by US authorities.
Mesina’s arrest followed release of a mission order by Morente in response to the request of US authorities who informed local counterparts that an arrest warrant has been issued against Mesina by the Superior Court of California in County of San Mateo, which cited her in contempt of court and for child abduction or deprivation of custody. The said violations refer to the act of one parent keeping a child from the other parent despite a court order prohibiting it.
Mesina is also accused of exhibiting disrespectful behavior towards the court process in the US, thus, the issuance of the arrest warrant.
The suspect has been transferred to the BI’s detention facility at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending issuance of the order for her deportation by the BI Board of Commissioners.
Mesina’s name will also be included in the BI’s blacklist which would bar her from returning to the country.