Internet personality Vitaly has made a surprising revelation following his release from a Philippine detention facility. He recently revealed that he maintained a hidden phone throughout his entire 10-month incarceration and documented the experience.
During a live stream appearance with Adin Ross, Vitaly casually dropped controversial information that has left followers surprised. “I had a phone the whole time in jail,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I vlogged the whole experience and said I’m going to expose the corruption and everything.”
When asked how he managed to smuggle the device inside, Vitaly dismissed any crude methods, explaining the process was surprisingly straightforward. “You pay the guard, you’re good to go,” he said, referencing what he described as widespread corruption within the facility. “Money talks in Philippines.”
The device in question was a Chinese-made phone, which Vitaly used to watch streams, stay connected to the outside world, and document his daily experiences behind bars. He revealed plans to release footage exposing conditions and alleged corruption within the detention system.
Vitaly’s imprisonment stemmed from charges including three counts of disturbing the peace and theft relating to an incident involving an industrial fan. However, prosecutors added cybercrime charges because he filmed the incident, resulting in a six-month sentence. Combined with four months in deportation detention, he spent nearly a year confined.
The conditions he described were harsh. Vitaly spent his first three months in isolation within a cage-like room at 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) with no ventilation, surrounded by rats and cockroaches. “Been wiping my s**t with my hand. No toilet paper,” he revealed, adding that guards would sometimes refuse his requests for water.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Vitaly maintained an unexpectedly positive outlook on the experience. He explained, “It’s experience. I spent 10 months in jail. I am who I am. I read so many business books. I got so much smarter.”
While imprisoned, he witnessed troubling cases of injustice, including individuals detained for 10 years simply for overstaying their visas by 30 days due to a lack of legal representation. “There’s people there for 10 years for overstaying their visas like a month, a year, 10 years in prison for overstaying a visa. Make that make sense,” he questioned.
According to Vitaly, the upcoming documentary footage promises to provide unprecedented insight into the Philippine detention system.
