American ‘sex offenders’ barred entry

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) intensified its efforts to protect the Philippines from foreign threats by denying entry to three American citizens over the past week who were flagged for convictions of sex offenses in the United States.

BI commissioner Norman Tansingco reported that the passengers, who arrived separately as tourists between 11 and 14 April 2024, were identified during immigration checks.

Tansingco identified the Americans as Edgar Javier Manalansan, Jose Gonzalez Jr. and Daniel Nevarez.

“Alertness of our officers led to the discovery that these individuals were on our watchlist for being registered sex offenders in the US This information, coupled with their criminal past, makes them excludable aliens under Philippine immigration law,” Tansingco said.

The law prohibits the entry of foreign nationals convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude, which includes sex offenses.

Following standard procedures, all three individuals were refused entry as authorities promptly booked them on the first available flights back to their point of origin.

“We take the safety and security of our citizens very seriously,” Tansingco said. “To further deter future attempts, I have directed their inclusion on a blacklist, effectively barring them from entering the Philippines.”

Reports said that Manalansan was flagged based on information from the US embassy, revealing his conviction for aggravated sexual assault against a woman in her 60s by an Illinois court.