BI bars British sex offender from entering PH

Subic- In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen border security and protect vulnerable sectors from transnational crimes, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has denied entry to a convicted British sex offender upon his arrival at the Clark International Airport (CIA).

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the passenger as 50-year-old Lee Alan Hargrave, a United Kingdom national, who arrived on August 3 aboard a Qatar Airways flight from Doha.

Hargrave was referred to members of the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) after immigration records showed that he was the subject of an alert in the BI’s system.

Records from the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) showed that Hargrave was convicted by a court in the United Kingdom in 2024 for making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children and was subsequently placed on the UK’s Sex Offenders Register.

The BI said the derogatory information was made available through its coordination with foreign counterparts, allowing immigration officers to identify and intercept high-risk foreign nationals attempting to enter the country.

Hargrave was immediately denied admission and placed on the next available flight back to his port of origin.

“This case demonstrates the importance of international intelligence-sharing in keeping our borders secure,” said Viado. “Through our close cooperation with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and the vigilance of our immigration officers, we are able to stop convicted sex offenders before they can enter the country. We will continue to strengthen our #ShieldKids campaign to protect children and other vulnerable sectors from sexual exploitation and prevent the Philippines from becoming a destination for sex tourism,” he stated.

As a consequence of the exclusion, Hargrave’s name has been included in the BI’s blacklist, perpetually barring him from re-entering the country.