BI bars a record 7,724 aliens‍‍ in 2019

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its personnel in different ports of the country barred 7,724 unwanted aliens in 2019, the highest in the agency’s history. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the foreigners were turned back after they were found to be “improperly documented, or ineligible to enter and stay in the Philippines.” The BI disclosed that 3,527 Chinese topped the list of the excluded aliens, followed by 488 Vietnamese, 380 Indians, 329 Indonesians and 255 Malaysians. Also turned back were convicted sex offenders, rude passengers, blacklisted foreigners and those without entry visas. —Tina G. Santos