BI barred entry of 17 Chinese nationals last week —official

Seventeen Chinese nationals were prevented from entering the Philippines last week for failure to establish the purpose of their travel, the Bureau of Immigration said.

First to be intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on February 17 were 16 Chinese nationals from Zhengzhou, China who were allegedly sponsored by a tech company in the Philippines, according to BI intelligence division chief Fortunato Manahan, Jr.

The group, however, was unable to present a relationship with the alleged sponsor and could not describe the nature of their trip when they were interviewed by immigration officers.

“Their purpose was very doubtful, and they gave conflicting statements, hence they were denied entry to the country,” Manahan said.

Another Chinese national who arrived from Bangkok was intercepted on the same day.

The BI said the man claimed to be affiliated with a solar energy company in the Philippines, but was unable to prove his purpose. His documents were also found inconsistent with his statements.

All 17 were excluded and boarded on the next available flight back to their port of origin, and their names were included in the bureau’s blacklist, which bars them from entering the country in the future.

Only foreigners with valid and existing visas are allowed to enter the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.—AOL, GMA News