Foreigners Can Be Deported for Protesting
I’ve written about this before but it is important enough that I’m going to write about it again. Yesterday the Director of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned that foreigners present at schedule protesting against the current president of the Philippines will be subject to deportation. Further, he went on to say the BI would have plain clothed intelligence officer in the crowd and any foreigner present would be deported. 
So if your girlfriend is going to participate in the protest and you follow along to be with her or to experience the scene, you are putting your ability to stay in the Philippines in grave danger. This is true for any protest, not just the protest that took place on Friday.
What you say on a website could result in your deportation. So be careful what you say while in the Philippines. Your right to free speech left once you entered the country. If you criticize a public official or insult any Filipino you can be deported. You can grumble about it if you want but you should probably keep that to yourself as well. The BI seems to take this law very serious!
With the political unrest in the country that sometimes erupts into all out battle with police and military units within the Philippines, their position is quite understandable. Also though, Filipino are more than capable of running their country the way they want it run. They just don’t want foreigners meddling in internal affairs.
Tagged with: Immigration • Living In The Phlippines
Filed under: Living In The Philippines
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nothing a hundred bucks couldn’t fix if they really want to enforce such a stupid rule.
They enforce the law all the time. Its possible the PI would let you come and go without saying a word and then you’ll find yourself blacklisted when you try to return. A hundred dollars wont fix that. It happened to a man from Japan not too long ago.
Who are you to tell the people of the Philippines what is stupid?
You are trying to come off as if you know so much about the Philippines, people spewing this kind of stuff. I wouldn’t count on being able to buy your way out of everything.
You are correct there Rus, not that long ago, 2 immigration officials in Manila lost their jobs and they also got charged with corruption.
Just because the Philippines is perceived as corrupt doesn’t mean you can always bribe your way out. You could get lucky, you could also get unlucky by trying, and get charged with violating the Republic Act 3019 if you get caught. RPA 3019 is the “anti-graft and corrupt practices act”.
Mike is Mike in Manila. I didn’t realize it until after I approved the comment.
its either RonnW or a guy that used the nickname Nox on the net. I think it is short for obnoxious and he has delussions of grandeur that’s what he always talks down to Filipino. I banned Nox from my room on Camfrog. I’m still amazed that both of them harass me.
I should add that he is not the real Mike in Manila but a wanna be.
But really Rusty that “warning” of BID is stupid. If such warning can be at best classified as a directive which has the force & effect of a law, then that directive is unconstitutional. Other than that, warnings are just threats. The Phil Consti affords everyone the freedom of speech. Just because the govt has summarily deported a foreigner, that does not mean a foreigner can no longer challenge such order.
If however, you are barred fr entering the country bec you are declared persona non grata, I don’t think you can challenge the validity of such pronouncement.
Roy, I’m sure you can challenge it. While your outside the country. One can challenge anything. I however, prefer to do what they ask of me and not be deported.
I don’t wish to be outside the country.
This is a frequent reason people get deported and its a frequent warning. Never hear anyone speaking out against the BI over this policy. BI claims its law but I don’t know.