The Bureau of Immigration on Thursday warned foreigners against participating in protest actions in the Philippines as they can be deported for violating the country’s immigration laws.
 
Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan issued the warning after several foreign women activists from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently picketed in front of the Manila Zoo wearing only two-piece bikinis, protesting against the zoo.
 
 “We welcome them here as visitors. They cannot just protest here, especially if it violates the culture of Filipinos,” Libanan said in a press statement.
 
According to the BI chief, the bureau can initiate deportation proceedings against foreigners who join such mass actions. "They should not abuse our hospitality and their privilege to stay in the country," he said.
 
He added that the BI may also place the foreigners in the immigration blacklist of undesirable aliens to prevent them from re-entering the Philippines.
 
“Foreigners should have no business joining these mass actions because it is tantamount to meddling in our country’s internal affairs,” he said.
 
Libanan added that since the foreign activists entered the country as tourists, their participation in these demonstrations is a violation of the conditions of their admission and stay as temporary visitors.
 
The commissioner said that foreigners intending to participate in similar protests here in the Philippines should be aware of the immigration laws that strictly prohibit such actions.
 
Based on newspaper accounts, the foreign women protesters were identified as Canadian Ashley Fruno, Australian Fawn Porter and Argentine Maria Salom.
 
But a check of the BI’s travel records showed that Fruno arrived on November 25 last year and was admitted as a tourist for 21 days.

However, the BI database do not show any arrival record of passengers named Fawn Porter and Maria Salom.