MANILA, Philippines — Three Malaysian tourists were banned from entering the Philippines after showing “rude and disrespectful behavior” towards immigration officers, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Saturday.
The BI said the male passenger, identified as Tan Hoong Kiat, and his two female companions, identified as Lim Fong Teng and Khoo Seok, were denied entry to the country on Friday night after they landed in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport aboard a flight from Hong Kong.
Citing its border control and intelligence unit, the BI said the Malaysians were turned away after “uttering insulting and unpleasant words” to immigration officers who requested them to present their outward or return tickets.
Under existing rules, the bureau said foreign visitors must present their return tickets to immigration officers at ports. Failure to do so can be a ground to exclude them for being improperly documented aliens.
According to the BI, it was also reported that while immigration supervisors were explaining the need to present their tickets, the passengers “became rude, shouted expletives, and refused to calm down.”
The bureau likewise noted that the Malaysians did not have return tickets.
BI Chief Norman Tansingco immediately ordered the passengers’ inclusion in their blacklist, the bureau said. They are now banned from entering the Philippines for being undesirable aliens.
“Foreigners who come here should display accord respect and courtesy to persons of authority of their host country. Their stay here is a mere privilege and not a right, hence they should not malign and insult our immigration officers,” he said in a statement.
For being rude and discourteous, and failure to procure return tickets, the BI said the three were excluded and booked on the first available flight to their port of origin.
“A memorandum order issued by the BI more than a decade ago also provides for the outright denial of entry to aliens who are rude and discourteous when being processed and interviewed by BI officers upon their arrival,” the bureau further added.
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