Gill Boehringer, 84, blocked entry from Philippines over 2015 protest

THE Philippine immigration bureau said on Thursday it has blocked the entry of an Australian who has been black-listed for reportedly joining a 2015 rally in violation of regulations barring foreigners from engaging in political activities in the country.

Gill Hale Boehringer, an 84-year-old professor, is the latest foreigner to face expulsion after reportedly joining local protests. Immigration officials have ordered the deportation of an Australian nun who angered the president for joining anti-government rallies.

Bureau of Immigration spokeswoman Dana Sandoval said Mr Boehringer arrived on Wednesday at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Guangzhou, China, but “was excluded for being black-listed”.

Mr Boehringer reportedly participated in a rally in November 2015 which was “in clear violation” of immigration policy prohibiting foreigners from engaging in political activities, Ms Sandoval said.

“Inclusion in the blacklist means that the subject is a threat to public order and safety, and black-listing minimises that risk,” Ms Sandoval said, adding that black-listed foreigners could seek to be removed from the list if they submit “sufficient proof to reverse the blacklist”.

A doctor who examined Mr Boehringer, Geneve Rivera-Reyes, said it may be risky for him to travel again due to a pulmonary illness and skin infection on both legs. She called the immigration bureau “heartless” in seeking Mr Boehringer’s expulsion.

Ms Sandoval said Mr Boehringer was not detained but was turned over to airline officials after being barred entry. He was made to wait at an airport holding area to board the next available flight back to Guangzhou, she said.

Last month, the immigration bureau ordered the deportation of an Australian nun, Sister Patricia Anne Fox, who had angered President Rodrigo Duterte by joining anti-government rallies, although her lawyers called the move political persecution.

Sister Fox appealed the expulsion order and remains in the country. Mr Duterte’s administration also barred a critical Italian politician, Giacomo Filibeck, from entering the Philippines in April.

Mr Duterte has been highly sensitive to criticism, especially by foreigners, who he says have no right to meddle in the country’s affairs. His anti-drug crackdown has left thousands of suspects dead and alarmed human rights groups and Western governments.

Philippine officials deny any political persecution and say foreigners will have no problem as long as they follow the law. In 2014, nine foreign journalists were black-listed for heckling then President Benigno Aquino III, Ms Sandoval said.