THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it barred from entering the country last month seven Americans with records of convictions as sex offenders in their respective countries.
The move is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to protecting children and ensuring that foreign criminals, especially those with a history of sexual offenses, are prevented from entering the Philippines.
In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said six of the passengers were excluded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) while one was intercepted at the Mactan airport in Cebu.
They were denied entry by our immigration officers upon discovering that they are among the thousands of registered sex offenders (RSOs) who are in our database,” said Viado.
He added that the aliens were excluded pursuant to a provision in the immigration act which prohibits the entry of foreigners who have been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude.
According to Ferdinand Tendenilla, BI border control and intelligence unit (BCIU) chief, all seven Americans were sent back to their port of origin a day after they were intercepted.
Intercepted last Jan. 6 was Rodrigo Navarro, 30, who was convicted in 2014 for possession and control of obscene materials depicting a minor in sexual conduct.
Wayne Mitchell Blakely, 56, was denied entry on Jan. 14. He was convicted in the US in 2002 for sexual molestation wherein the victim is only 15 years old.
American man Raymund Campado Falguera, 33, was excluded on Jan. 14 after it turned out that a court martial convicted him in 2014 for sexually abusing a minor.
On Jan. 15, Robert William Harper, 69, was turned back due to his conviction for criminal sexual conduct in Wisconsin in 1999.
Intercepted at the Mactan-Cebu airport last Jan. 18 was David Scott Dennis, 60, who was convicted in 2000 for 5 counts of child molestation in the 1st degree where the victim was only 6 years old.
On same date, Joseph Jerome Dumas, 71, was turned away at the NAIA after the BI was informed that he was convicted in 2018 for possessing sexually abusing material involving children.
The BI emphasized that these exclusions are part of its ShieldKids Program, an initiative designed to safeguard Filipino children from exploitation and abuse by foreign predators.
Under the program, the BI works closely with local and international law enforcement agencies to monitor and prevent the entry of convicted sex offenders and other individuals who pose a threat to child safety. The initiative reinforces the Philippines’ commitment to protecting its youth and ensuring a safe environment free from those who seek to exploit them.
