The Bureau of Immigration barred from entering the country more than 3,500 foreign nationals during the first 10 months of the year, having deemed that their presence could be detrimental to national interest.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said that a total of 3,528 aliens as of varying nationalities were denied entry in different international airport nationwide.
Port Operator chief Grifton Medina said that most of the aliens, or nearly 3,000 of them, were turned away at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport while the rest were intercepted in the airports of Mactan, Clark, Kalibo, Aklan and Davao.
“These aliens were turned back after conduct of secondary inspection by our immigration officers. They were properly assessed and thereafter were found to be unfit for admission into our country,” Medina added.
Morente commended BI-POD personnel for thwarting the entry of undesirable aliens even as he exhorted them to remain vigilant in discharging their duties as border control officers of the country.
The BI chief warned foreigners who have ulterior motives or plans in coming to the Philippines to think twice as they will not escape the watchful eyes of immigration officers in the ports of the entry.
Data shows that some 1,508 Chinese nationals topped the list of excluded aliens, followed by 262 Indians, 151 Americans, and 138 Koreans.
Among them were registered sex offenders, wanted fugitives, suspected international terrorists, blacklisted foreigners, and previously deported aliens who tried to re-enter the country.
Statistics also show that about three-fourths of the excluded aliens were seen as public charges or persons without visible means of support and whose purpose in coming here are suspect.
Among those who were turned back were foreigner passengers who were rude and disrespectful towards immigration officers.”‹