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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 137 foreign registered sex offenders barred entry to PH in 2024 -- BI

137 foreign registered sex offenders barred entry to PH in 2024 -- BI

Published Feb 8, 2025 05:42 am

At least 137 foreign registered sex offenders (RSOs) were barred from entering the Philippines in 2024, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Saturday, Feb. 8.

"The Philippines will not be a safe haven for sex offenders," said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado. 

"Our immigration laws expressly prohibit the entry of foreign nationals convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude, and we remain firm in keeping them out," Viado stressed.

Of those barred in 2024, 109 of them were Americans, 12 were Britons, five Australians, three Germans, two Canadians, and one each from Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Japan, Ireland, and the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The BI said that majority of the barred sex offenders were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The others were caught at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and at the Clark International Airport.

Viado said there was a decline in the number of barred foreign sex offenders from169 foreigners intercepted in 2023.

He credited the decline to the directive of President Marcos to strengthen border security and protect vulnerable sectors from foreign threats. 

"This decline shows that our message is clear -- we will continue to shut our doors to these predators," he said. 

The BI initiative, called #ShieldKids campaign, has been launched in 2024. Its main focus is protecting children from sexual predators and human traffickers. 

An important aspect in the campaign is international cooperation, since the BI needs their information in tracking down RSOs and ensuring they are prevented from traveling to the Philippines.  

“The Bureau of Immigration remains steadfast in its duty to protect the country from foreign threats and keep our communities safe,” Viado affirmed.

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