I am writing concerning a news article carried in your paper last Sunday about the arrest of Mr. Joachim Leipski by elements of the Bureau of Immigration and the Dauin Police. The news report further stated that Mr. Leipski is wanted for a murder case in Germany.
I do not know how your source for this news obtained the information about Mr. Leipski, but the basis cited in the report for his deportation order is completely false.
I happened to visit Mr. Leipski at the Dauin Police Station on the night he was detained there, and secured a copy of the Summary Deportation Order for him, issued by the Bureau of Immigration in Manila.
According to the Summary Deportation Order, Mr. Leipski has pending cases of fraud in Germany (and not murder as reported in Metropost).
Quoted below is the pertinent portion of the Summary Deportation Order:
“On 29 May 2013, this Bureau received a letter from the Attache Ansgar Kremnitzer of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Manila, dated 28 May 2013, addressed to the Honorable Commissioner, informing that ‘Mr. Leipski is staying in the Philippines since August 31, 2010 and never left the country since then. Based on warrant of arrest issued by the local courts in Berlin, dated July 24 and 26, 2012, Mr. Leipski is wanted for several counts of fraud in Germany. Subsequently, the Embassy declared the invalidity of his German passport.’
Mr. Leipski will be given his opportunity to defend himself against the charges of fraud before the courts in Germany.
In our jurisdiction, he is also entitled to protection against besmirching his reputation. Given the obvious mistake in the conclusions made by your news source as to the basis for Mr. Leipski’s Deportation Order, fairness dictates that the truth should be made known to your reading public and the appropriate correction be made in the next issue.
I have full confidence in your paper’s integrity, and believe the error made in this news report was inadvertent and unintentional.
Thank you. In the interest of fair and truthful reporting, I remain.
Jose Riodil D. Montebon
Boloc-boloc, Sibulan
