Immigration bureau bans 9 Belgian ‘activists’
Posted August 09, 2009 14:37:00(Mla Time)
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Marlon Ramos
MANIL, Philippines -- Immigration authorities have banned nine Belgian nationals from the Philippines for taking part in anti-government protests during President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (Sona), the Bureau of Immigration has said.
Immigration commissioner Marcelino Libanan said Sunday that six of the Belgians left the Philippines and that he had ordered the three others still in the country to leave within five days.
Libanan said in a statement that he ordered the expulsion and blacklisting of the nine "for engaging in prohibited political activity in violation of the terms andconditions of their visa as temporary visitors in this country."
He identified the Belgian activists as Johan Demyttenaere, Mario Alessander Bauwens, Stefanie Devloo, Nicky Broeckhoven, Marlies Geldof, Jelle Eeckhout, Greet Vantieghem, Mattia de Pauw and Chiara Donadoni.
Libanan said the immigration bureau was coordinating with Belgian consul Rene Peeters Coms for the immediate deportation of the three remaining Belgians.
"Coms remarked that they should be enjoying the beautiful beaches anddrinking cocktails instead of joining demonstrations for it is anintrusion in the internal affairs of the Philippines," Libanan said.
The Belgians, who were reportedly in the country for an "immersion trip" in a farmers' community in Cavite, were briefly held by the police during a protest march by left-wing groups in Bacoor town in Cavite a day before Ms Arroyo’s July 27 speech before Congress.
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