DAVAO CITY —– The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said its personnel in the country’s ports remain on alert to thwart any attempt by international terrorists to enter the country.
Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente in a press statement Thursday said “Our personnel in all international airports and seaports nationwide are always on alert to prevent these foreign terrorists from slipping into the country,.”
Morente revealed that the immigration officers are extra cautious in allowing the entry of foreign nationals with doubtful purposes.
He said aliens deemed as likely to become a public charge or pose threat to public safety are subjected to secondary inspection.
“Those who fail to satisfactorily explain their purpose in coming are turned away and booked on the first available flight back to their port of origin,” Morente added.
Morente assured that the BI continues to maintain a database of suspected international terrorists, and any attempt by them to enter the Philippines will surely be foiled by immigration inspectors at the port of entry.
“We have a shared database with numerous local and international intelligence agencies including the Interpol. This database and other derogatory files are integrated into the electronic system, regularly updated, and is used by our immigration officers in processing and conducting arrival formalities for passengers, thus allowing us to detect such attempts,” the BI chief explained.
Morente added that due to ongoing travel bans following the Covid-19 pandemic, the entry of aliens remains restricted.
The BI issued the statement following reports of terror threats on some countries in Southeast Asia.
Local authorities, however, said the reports have yet to be confirmed and validated and assured that said information is being investigated and taken seriously.-Newsline.ph
