IMMIGRATION Commissioner Norman Tansingco has expressed concern about the possible resurgence of sex tourism after six sex offenders were recently barred by the Bureau of Immigration from entering the country.
BI records showed that last August 30, immigration officers denied entry to American David Laursen, 55, who arrived at the Davao International Airport from Singapore aboard a Singaporean Airlines flight.
The following day, immigration officers at the Mactan Cebu International Airport denied entry to Briton Stephen Albert Costa, who arrived via an Emirates flight from Dubai.
Last September 1, another American, Benancio Vasquez, was also stopped by immigration officers at the Mactan Cebu International Airport after arriving from Incheon, South Korea aboard a Korean Air Lines flight.
Two more Americans, Troy Delbert Houk and Gabriel Rodriguez, were also barred entry last September 2 after arriving from South Korea and Haneda, Japan, respectively.
Last September 5, American Kevin Crispe was intercepted after arriving from Taipei, Taiwan aboard a China Southern Airlines flight.
“All of them were found to be sex offenders in their respective countries,” Tansingco said as he expressed concern on the possible resurgence of sex tourism after the reopening of the country’s borders following travel restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.
“With the return of tourism also comes the return of aliens who will try to abuse our hospitality. We warn these predators not to attempt to enter the country as we have close coordination with different governments that provide us information about sex offenders that might attempt to enter the country,” the BI chief added.
Under the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, those who have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, which include sex offenders, are ineligible from entering the country.
