2 foreign pedophiles barred from entering PH

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 26) — Two foreign pedophiles were barred from entering the country for being «undesirable aliens,» the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Monday.

In a statement, the bureau identified the foreign nationals as James Riley Grant, 44, and Gideon Hayes, 52.

Grant was intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Dec. 22 while Hayes was stopped at the NAIA Terminal 1 on Dec. 20.

«We have noticed an upsurge in the arrival of foreign sex offenders in our ports,» BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement.

«Despite published reports of their exclusions they keep coming here but we remain undeterred in our efforts to enforce the law against these unwanted aliens,» he added.

Tansingco said passengers were prohibited from entering the country pursuant to a provision in the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.

Under Section 9 (a) of the law, persons who have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude shall be excluded from entry into the Philippines.

According to the bureau, Grant was a registered sex offender in Jacksonville, Florida. He was convicted of sex crimes 25 years ago.

Hayes, meanwhile, was convicted in Australia 19 years ago on indecent treatment of children. He also admitted to sending money to Filipino children whom he had met online or during his previous visits.

Both foreign nationals were on the bureau's blacklist.