MANILA, Philippines -- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday deported two Jordanians suspected of allegedly plotting to assassinate President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and bomb the United States Embassy in Manila.
Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said Khalil Kh. Al-Ali and Walid Abu Aisheh were taken on board Philippine Airlines flight to Bangkok en route to Amman , Jordan.
Libanan said the Jordanians had been expelled pursuant to a summary deportation order that the BI Board of Commissioners issued against them last March 13 for violating Philippine immigration laws.
“They were also placed in our immigration blacklist, hence they are now banned from re-entering the Philippines for being undesirable aliens,†the BI chief said.
Libanan declared that the BI would continue to play an active role in the fight against international terrorism.
“We shall continue to cooperate and coordinate with our military and police forces in hunting down these terrorists who pose serious threats to our national security,†he said.
According to BI Associate Commissioner Roy Almoro, Al-Ali was ordered deported for working in the country without a permit while Abu Aisheh was found to have been an overstaying and undocumented alien.
“These offenses are both punishable with summary deportation under our immigration act,†Almoro explained.
Records showed that the Jordanians were arrested separately in Manila and Pasay last February 27 by a joint team from the BI, Philippine Army, and Philippine National Police on the strength of a mission order issued by Libanan.
Police and army intelligence sources have revealed that the Jordanians were allegedly involved in plots to bomb several embassies in Manila, such as the United States, Australian, British and Israeli embassies.
PNP officials have also claimed that the suspects were planning to assassinate ranking government officials, including Arroyo.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
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