MANILA, Philippines — A former United States Army serviceman is now waiting for his deportation to face a court martial for deserting his post, it was learned on Thursday.

The deserter was identified as Michael Lawrence Eastwood of Glendale, California and is now detained at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City.

BI Chief Ronaldo Ledesma said Eastwood, 41, went AWOL (absence without official leave) and hid in the Philippines for almost a year.

Ledesma said Eastwood was the subject of a no bail warrant from the US Defense Department.

BI-Interpol operatives arrested Eastwood last November 23 in his residence along Gabriel Street in Baclaran, Parañaque City.

The American was arrested on the strength of a deportation warrant that Ledesma signed pursuant to a summary deportation order issued by the BI board of commissioners.

BI intelligence chief Faizal Hussin said Eastwood had been overstaying in the Philippines and was an undocumented alien after the US State Department revoked his passport last July 2.

A check with the bureau’s records showed that Eastwood arrived in the country as a tourist on Nov. 29 last year but never bothered to extend his visa after his 21-day tourist stay expired.