By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – Three Malaysian nationals who claimed to be members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) religious group, headed by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, were recently barred from entering the country at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Sunday.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the passengers identified as Jessica Lynn Henry, Mimielianna Annie Anak Leesoi, and Andrijosebaul Anak Garra, all in their mid-20s, were sent back to Malaysia on Aug. 28.
They arrived at NAIA Terminal 1 in Parañaque City on the night of Aug. 27 onboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur with a group of Filipinos who presented themselves as KOJC members.
“Our immigration officers discovered their intent to participate in anti-government demonstrations being staged by KOJC members who are protesting the ongoing manhunt for Pastor Quiboloy,” Tansingco said in a press release.
“Foreigners have no business interfering in the country’s internal political affairs, thus aliens who join these protest actions can be expelled for violating our immigration laws and for being undesirable aliens,” he added.
The three said they were invited to Davao City by the KOJC. They could not present proof of their financial capacity to support their stay in the country.
One of the passengers, while being interviewed, unintentionally showed the BI supervisors her mobile phone with screenshots of various anti-government slogans.
When asked to explain the screenshot, the passenger said she accidentally downloaded them from her Facebook/Messenger acount.
The Malaysians have been placed in the immigration blacklist and banned from entering the country. (PNA)