3 Malaysian ‘KOJC members’ barred from entering Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Three Malaysian nationals, who are reportedly members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) and intended to join protest actions, were recently refused entry into the country, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

In a statement yesterday, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Jessica Lynn Henry, Mimielianna Annie Anak Leesoi and Andrijosebaul Anak Garra, all Malaysian nationals and in their mid-20s, were barred from entering the country.

The three foreigners arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Aug. 27 onboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

They were allegedly with a group of Filipinos who introduced themselves as KOJC members, but the three were later “abandoned” after they were stopped by the BI for further immigration inspection.

The following day, the three foreigners boarded a flight back to Malaysia. They have also been placed in the immigration blacklist and banned from entering the country in the future.

Tansingco said the Malaysians were denied entry because they would likely become a public charge, after they were reportedly flagged for seemingly suspicious intent in the country.

“Our immigration officers discovered their intent to participate in anti-government demonstrations being staged by KOJC members who are protesting the ongoing manhunt for pastor Apollo Quiboloy,” he added.

The BI commissioner stressed that “foreigners have no business interfering in the country’s internal political affairs, thus aliens who join these protest actions can be expelled for violating our immigration laws and for being undesirable aliens.”

In the bureau’s incident report, the supervisors who interviewed the Malaysians said they were reportedly heading for Davao City through an invitation from the KOJC.

The foreigners, however, could not show any proof of their financial capacity to support their stay in the country and admitted that they are unemployed.