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BI bars 6 US sex offenders from entering PH in January

By: Ferdinand Patinio Philippine News Agency / Feb 14, 2025聽

BI bars 6 US sex offenders from entering PH in January

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Several Americans with records of convictions as sex offenders in their country have been barred from entering the country last month, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Thursday.

In a statement, Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said five of the passengers were excluded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) while one was intercepted at the Mactan airport in Cebu.

鈥淭hey were denied entry by our immigration officers upon discovering that they are among the thousands of registered sex offenders (RSOs) who are in our database,鈥� Viado said.

He said the move is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.鈥檚 commitment to protecting children and ensuring that foreign criminals, especially those with a history of sexual offenses, are prevented from entering the Philippines.

He added that the foreigners were excluded under a provision in the country鈥檚 immigration act that prohibits the entry of foreigners who have been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude.

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According to BI border control and intelligence unit chief Ferdinand Tendenilla, all of them were sent back to their ports of origin a day after they were intercepted.

Intercepted last Jan. 6 was Rodrigo Navarro, 30, who was convicted in 2014 for possession and control of obscene materials depicting a minor in sexual conduct.

Wayne Mitchell Blakely, 56, was denied entry on Jan. 14. He was convicted in the US in 2002 for sexual molestation wherein the victim was only 15 years old.

On the other hand, Raymund Campado Falguera, 33, was excluded on Jan. 14 after it turned out that a court martial convicted him in 2014 for sexually abusing a minor.

On Jan. 15, Robert William Harper, 69, was turned back due to his conviction for criminal sexual conduct in Wisconsin in 1999.

Intercepted at the Mactan-Cebu airport last Jan. 18 was David Scott Dennis, 60, who was convicted in 2000 for 5 counts of child molestation in the 1st degree where the victim was only 6 years old.

On the same date, Joseph Jerome Dumas, 71, was turned away at the NAIA after the BI was informed that he was convicted in 2018 for possessing sexually abusive material involving children.

The BI emphasized that these exclusions are part of its ShieldKids Program, an initiative designed to safeguard Filipino children from exploitation and abuse by foreign predators.

Under the program, the BI works closely with local and international law enforcement agencies to monitor and prevent the entry of convicted sex offenders and other individuals who pose a threat to child safety.

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