MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has denied entry to an Omani national flagged by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) after an advance passenger screening system identified him as a potential security threat more than nine hours before his flight landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado on Wednesday said that the 49-year-old passenger, whose identity was withheld due to security concerns was traveling from Doha, Qatar to NAIA Terminal 3 when the BI's Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) Operations Center detected an Interpol alert linked to his name.
The early detection gave immigration authorities time to verify the information and prepare for the passenger's arrival.
The BI said the APIS Operations Center immediately coordinated with the bureau's Interpol Unit to validate the alert. Once the watchlist hit was confirmed, the Bureau's Anti-Terrorist Group was alerted and deployed to carry out the necessary security measures.
Personnel from the Anti-Terrorist Group led by Deputy Chief Bienvenido Castillo III worked with immigration officers on duty at NAIA Terminal 3 to intercept the passenger immediately after he arrived in the country.
