Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente has warned foreigners in the Philippines against engaging in any political activity.
The warning was issued less than a week before President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the opening of the 18th Congress this Monday, July 22,2019.
In a statement, Morente reiterated the prohibition, citing previous incidents of deportation and exclusion of foreign nationals who had participated in protests and mass actions.
“We are sending this warning to avoid a repeat of the cases where we had to deport foreign protesters,” Morente said.
He explained that being visitors to the Philippines did not give foreigners the rights and privileges of a Filipino.
“Joining political demonstrations is an utter display of disrespect to the country’s authorities and is equivalent to meddling in our internal affairs as a sovereign nation,” he added.
In 2013, a Dutch, Thomas van Beersum, was deported after being photographed joining a protest and taunting a crying policeman, while Canadian student Kim Chatillon-Miller was deported for joining an anti-SONA demonstration.
In 2018, Australian Catholic missionary nun, Patricia Fox, 73 years old, was denied renewal of her visa for supposedly violating the conditions of her stay and participating in partisan political activities.
Zimbabwean Tawanda Chandiwana, American Adam Thomas Shaw and Malawian Miracle Osman were ordered to leave over what the Philippine government had described as “leftist activities.” The three foreigners were Methodists based in the United States. (Melo M. Acuña)