Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers barred the entry of 124 aliens last year for being rude and disrespectful to immigration officers.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the number of rude passengers turned back in 2023 was slightly higher than the 64 foreigners who were similarly denied entry in 2023.
Viado said that aside from sending them back to their point of origin, these discourteous individuals were blacklisted and prohibited from reentering the country for being undesirable aliens.
He said that verbally or physically assaulting immigration officers cannot be tolerated as such acts will warrant appropriate sanctions from the BI, including kicking out the rude passenger.
There were reports indicating that some passengers were intoxicated and causing a scene, while others acted arrogantly, hurling insults and offensive language towards Filipinos and the government.
Viado cited the case of an unnamed New Zealander, 34 years old, who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on board a Cebu Pacific Airlines flight from Melbourne.
