PH bars entry to 5 foreign nationals with sex offenses

MANILA, Philippines — Five foreign nationals with sex offenses have been refused entry to Philippines over the last week, the Bureau of Immigration said on Thursday.

According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, four Americans and one New Zealand national were not permitted to enter the country from Feb. 29 to March 3.

READ: BI arrests a Japanese fugitive who is charged for stealing cash cards

On February 29, Daniel Lee Downey, 45, who was convicted for lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, arrived from Taipei, Taiwan.

On March 1, 73-year-old New Zealander Richard Neil Smith, who arrived from Singapore, was also reported to be a child sex offender. In the same day, Shannon Barlow, 60-years-old, arrived from Tokyo, and was likewise convicted of sexual abuse in 1996.

The BI also reported two arrivals on March 2: 64-year-old American Randy Ray Rogers, who came from Istanbul, and was convicted for aggravated sexual assault of two women, and; John Herbert Timbol, who arrived from California and was said to be convicted for sexual offenses.

READ: BI foils mail-order bride case at Naia

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the foreign nationals were blacklisted from entering the country and were put into the next flight to their origin on the same days of their arrivals.