Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers intercepted and turned away a foreign national flagged by Interpol for potential ties to foreign terrorism before he could enter the country, officials said.

The BI’s Advance Passenger Information System Operations Center flagged the 49-year-old Omani national on 10 July, more than nine hours before his scheduled flight from Doha, Qatar, landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

Authorities withheld the passenger’s identity, citing security concerns.

Upon receiving the initial alert, the operations center coordinated with the bureau’s Interpol Unit to verify the notice before notifying the agency’s Anti-Terrorist Group to prepare for the traveler’s arrival.

The alert was detected using the UN goTravel Advance Passenger Information System, a screening technology deployed by the bureau in partnership with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and supported by the Australian government. The system allows Philippine border personnel to cross-check passenger manifests against global watchlists prior to arrival.