BI bars four convicted sex offenders from entering the Philippines under #ShieldKids campaign

MANILA — In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify efforts to protect Filipino children from exploitation and abuse, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has denied entry to four foreign nationals convicted of sex crimes abroad as part of its continuing #ShieldKids campaign. The campaign reinforces the government’s commitment to keeping the Philippines safe from foreign sexual predators through strict border control and inter-agency coordination.

From October 26 to November 4, 2025, BI officers stationed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Clark International Airport (CIA), and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) implemented exclusion orders against four registered sex offenders.

Among those denied entry was Julian Johnson, 56, an American national, who arrived at CIA on October 26 aboard a Starlux Airlines flight from Taipei City. Records show that Johnson was convicted in 1996 in the United States for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old and was sentenced to one year of confinement and five years of probation.

Also excluded was Stefan Andrew Alletson, 34, a New Zealander who arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 on the same day onboard a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong. Information from the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) revealed that Alletson was previously convicted of a sex crime in New Zealand. Online news reports state that he is a former football coach who was convicted in New Zealand for sending sexually explicit photographs to 14-year-old boys. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the possession and distribution of objectionable material.

On October 30, Canadian national Leo Paul Houle, 77, was denied entry at MCIA after records showed that he was convicted in 2018 of child pornography-related offenses and conspiracy to commit a sexual offense against a person under 18 years of age.

The most recent interception was recorded on November 4 at NAIA Terminal 1, where BI officers excluded Charles White, 69, a U.S. citizen convicted in 2007 for committing a criminal sexual act in the third degree involving a 15-year-old victim.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado commended the alertness of immigration officers and emphasized that the Bureau remains firm in its zero-tolerance stance against foreign sex offenders attempting to enter the country.

“The Philippines will never be a safe haven for convicted predators,” Viado said. “Our airports serve as the first line of defense in protecting our children, and we will continue to strengthen border security through the #ShieldKids campaign,” he stated.

Viado added that the BI works closely with international law enforcement agencies and the PCTC in monitoring and intercepting foreign nationals with criminal backgrounds.

“We are committed to ensuring that those with a history of preying on minors are stopped at the gates,” he said. “This is part of our collective effort to keep communities safe and uphold the integrity of our borders,” he said.

All four offenders were immediately placed on the BI’s blacklist, preventing them from entering the country permanently. #