Manila – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has prevented the entry of 150 foreign registered sex offenders (RSOs) into the Philippines since January this year. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, in a statement on Thursday, revealed that most of these RSOs were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), with a few exclusions at the airports in Mactan, Cebu, and Clark, Pampanga, from January to November 29.
According to Philippines News Agency, Tansingco expressed concern over the rising number of RSOs attempting to enter the country, especially following the pandemic’s increase in online exploitation of women and children. He noted that the resurgence of international travel has coincided with an uptick in RSO entries, potentially indicating a continuation of exploitation activities.
The latest incidents involved two American RSOs intercepted at NAIA Terminal 1 on Wednesday. Francisco Narvios Tecson, 55, was stopped upon his arrival on an Eva Air flight from Taiwan. Convicted in Texas in 2010 for indecent contact with an 8-year-old, Tecson was flagged as excludable for being convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude. The BI, alerted by the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) about Tecson’s travel plans, was ready to intercept him upon arrival.
On the same day, 65-year-old Dale Lloyd Bayless was also intercepted. Bayless was convicted in 1990 for a sodomy offense against a 9-year-old victim in Neosho, Missouri. The BI’s vigilance in these cases underscores its commitment to safeguarding the country against individuals with criminal backgrounds, particularly those involving sexual offenses against minors.