American actor Lee O’ Brian filed his response to the petition for his deportation made against him by his former live-in partner, the actress-comedienne Pokwang.
In an interview video posted by TV5 reporter MJ Marfori, Lee spoke up that he always has respect for the mother of his child, Malia Francine O’Brian, and that he “puts the best interest for his daughter first”.
“I love my daughter more than anything,” he stressed.
He then made an appeal to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to be fair with his deportation and visa cancellation cases, noting his former partner’s fame and influence in the country.
“Given the fact that the complainant is very well-known, widely known throughout this county and very, very influential I am basically asking and pleading with the Philippine government and the Bureau of Immigration to look at my case, my deportation case fairly and with justice, according to the merits of the case and whatever I filed here I would plead with them to look at it justly,” Lee said.
The actor thanked the people who have been supporting him.
Pokwang, accompanied by her legal counsel Atty. Ralph Calinisan, filed a deportation complaint and cancellation of visa against Lee on June 13. Her camp claimed that Lee was “using a tourist visa while working in the country for the past eight years”.
The ex-couple met in 2014 and their romance bloomed after working together in the dramedy film Edsa Woodworth. Their daughter, Malia Francine, was born in January 2018.
They ended their relationship for several months before Pokwang confirmed her split with Lee in July 2022.
From then on, Pokwang has repeatedly taken swipes at her ex-partner for his lack of parental and financial support for their daughter.
