A former businessman who has been languishing in a Filipino jail for two months has demanded their government release him.
Frank Bohlert, 61, has been caged in a Manila prison since mid-September after his visa expired and his ex-partner Arlyn Decanay made claims that he had abused her.
He is in the Bicutan Taguig jail, which is notorious for holding foreign residents for long periods of time without charge.
The Foreign Office intervened last month and Mr Bohlert, from Culter, could have been deported back to the UK.
But he claims his ex-partner has taken his laptop, car and money, and he wants to stay in south-east Asia to seek justice. As a result he was charged with remaining in the country without a valid visa and assaulting his ex.
In response to the charges, Mr Bohlert has submitted a six-page document to the immigration and deportation department of the Philippines government, calling for his release.
He claims that it was a “lie” that he was manager of a bistro being run by his partner, and that he went in simply as a customer.
He said: “Even early in the romantic relationship, she was requesting and asking me to give her financial capital to put up a business of her own so that she would not depend so much for support. Because of love and emotional attachment, I gave in to her request.”
He added that the charges against him were: “Conveniently concocted in order to get rid of me after I outlived my usefulness.”
He claims that his ex is now is romantically linked to another man.
Mr Bohlert, who used to run a business selling winches to North Sea oil companies, described it as “an evil scheme cooked up” in order for her to keep money they both put into a joint bank account and a car registered in his name.
The Philippine authorities have said it could take “weeks” before his case gets to court, though Mr Bohlert and his family fear it could be even longer.
