Immigration halts entry of 35 foreign sex offenders in 2020

MANILA, Philippines — Thirty-five foreigners were denied entry in the Philippines in 2020 for being registered sex offenders, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Tuesday.

In a statement, Immigration Chief Jaime Morente said due to travel restrictions, the figures for registered sex offenders (RSO) barred from entering the country declined by 125, compared from 160 sex offenders intercepted in 2019.

Morente said many RSOs are convicted pedophiles and charged for molesting minors.

The BI was able to prevent RSOs’ entry by regularly coordinating with foreign counterparts to include sexual predators in the bureau’s blacklist, said Morente.

Morente said under the Philippine Immigration Act, foreigners convicted of offenses involving moral turpitude are not allowed to enter in any port of the country.

“When encountered by our officers at the ports these sex offenders are immediately turned back and booked on the first available flight to their port of origin,” Morente said.

The Immigration chief also vowed that they will continue to ban sex offenders in the country to protect  Filipino women and children.