25 foreigners barred from Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — At least 25 foreigners, suspected to be victims of human trafficking syndicates, were denied entry into the country on April 25 and 26, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported yesterday.

Sixteen Vietnamese – 12 men and four women – were intercepted upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 from Ho Chi Minh on April 25.

The Vietnamese, who claimed to be tourists, were suspected to be set to work in illegal online gaming hubs since officers from the BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section noted that they did not know which places they were to visit in the country, the BI said.

“These foreign nationals have all the complete documents needed as they are pretending to be regular tourists,” BI Commissioner Norman  Tansingco said.

“But careful scrutiny will show that they have a different intention in coming to the Philippines,” he added.

Also on April 25, immigration officers barred the entry of five Chinese men from Quanzhou they suspect were meant to work as laborers.

The Chinese were excluded for being likely to become public charges after immigration officers determined they had no means to support their stay in the country.

On April 26, the BI barred the entry of three Vietnamese women and a Chinese man who arrived from Hanoi after they gave inconsistent details about their trip to the country.

Serbian wanted for drugs nabbed

Meanwhile, operatives from the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit apprehended Serbian Predag Merkovic, 60, in a bar in Angeles City, Pampanga on April 25.

United States authorities informed the BI that Mirkovic has an outstanding arrest warrant issued by a district court in Maryland, where he was charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances.

Sy said they also received a letter-complaint from a concerned citizen alleging that Mirkovic was involved in trading illegal drugs in Angeles City.

Merkovic is also the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a Calamba, Laguna regional trial court on charges of violating Republic Act 9262, which penalizes domestic violence, filed by his estranged Filipina partner.

Mirkovic is being held in the BI’s detention facility in Taguig City.