MANILA, Philippines — Immigration officers prevented a 66-year-old American convicted of sex crimes from entering the country on Oct. 8, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported yesterday.
Charles Harry Cooper, 66, a native of Colorado, arrived from Taiwan on a China Air flight. He claimed he was visiting as a tourist and would be staying in Pasay City.
Information received by the BI show that Cooper was convicted in the United States in 2009 for statutory rape, statutory sodomy of a person under 14 and molestation.
Immigration officers required Cooper to board the next available flight back to his country of origin.
“These predators are not welcome in the Philippines,” BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said.
“Any sex offender who attempts to enter the country will be turned back and blacklisted,” he added.