5 foreign pedophiles barred entry to PH

FIVE foreign pedophiles – four Americans and a Briton – were barred recently from entering the country, the Bureau of Immigration said yesterday.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said four pedophiles were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport while the other one was turned away at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

“They are all registered sex offenders as they have records of conviction for sex offenses in their homeland,” Tansingco said.

“They were already included in our blacklist; thus they are perpetually barred from entering the Philippines. They were denied entry as their presence here could pose a serious risk to our women and children,” he added.

The Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 allows the immigration bureau to bar foreigners convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude such as sexual-related offenses.

BI records showed that American Alexander Balay was intercepted by immigration officers at NAIA Terminal 1 last May 21 after he arrived aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Tokyo.

Balay was convicted of possession and intent to distribute child pornography by a court in the state of Alabama.

On May 22, 54-year-old Vincent John Cherer, a Briton, was also turned away at the NAIA Terminal 1 after arriving via an Air China flight from Chengdu, China.

Tansingco said Cherer was previously convicted of child sexual abuse in the United Kingdom.

On May 27, American Wallance Lynn Wendel, 71, was also barred at the same terminal, where he arrived via a Korean Air flight from Incheon.

He was convicted of sexual assault by a court in the state of Arizona.

Tansingco said Wendel was also previously convicted of homicide and burglary.

Also denied entry was American Kevin Edwin Daughtrey, 49, who was turned away at the Mactan Cebu International Airport on May 27 after he arrived aboard an Eva Air flight from Taipei.

He was convicted by a court in Florida of a sexual offense against a minor.

On May 28, American Billy Ray Robertson Jr. was intercepted also at the NAIA 1 terminal.

Robertson was convicted by a court in Nevada in 1989 for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl.

In 2023, the BI barred from entering the country 171