The Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted four American pedophiles on separate instances, denying them entry into the Philippines due to their convictions as sex offenders.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reported that the four convicted individuals were intercepted as passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on separate dates since mid-September while attempting to enter the country as tourists.
He added that the individuals were promptly excluded and placed on the first available flight back to their places of origin.
“They were turned back pursuant to our immigration law which provides for the outright exclusion of foreigners who have been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude,” said Viado.
One of the apprehended Americans arrived at NAIA terminal 3 aboard a Cathay Pacific flight from Hongkong last September 13. The 70-year-old was convicted in 1992 by a Wisconsin court for second-degree sexual assault involving a 12-year-old victim.
On September 19, the next individual intercepted was a 71-year-old convicted in 2009 for possession of child pornography. He arrived at NAIA Terminal 1 on a Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo.
Intercepted at NAIA Terminal 3 on September 24, the third convicted American is a 56-year-old who was convicted in 2021 on two counts of child pornography. He arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong.
The latest individual to be turned away was a 59-year-old convicted in 1997 for engaging in lewd and lascivious acts against a 16-year-old minor. He arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 on October 3 via a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok.
All of the convicted individuals were added to the BI blacklist and are banned from re-entering the Philippines.
