Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced on Sunday that the arrested Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy will serve his sentence in the Philippines and will not be deported to his home country.

In a radio interview, Remulla said Zdorovetskiy is set to face trial next week on three counts of unjust vexation, with a possible jail term ranging from three months to one year. “We will ensure he serves his sentence, I guarantee that,” he said in Filipino.

Zdorovetskiy, arrested on 3 April 2025, is currently detained for harassing Filipinos in public while filming his vlogs.

Remulla explained that deportation is not an option since both Russia and the United States — where Zdorovetskiy holds a green card — have refused to accept him.

“Our problem is, Russia won’t take him back, and the US won’t either because he’s a green card holder. So we don’t know where to send him home,” he said.

He also revealed that the vlogger wrote to him requesting the charges be dropped, citing mental health concerns.

If found guilty, Remulla said Zdorovetskiy could serve up to 18 months in a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility.