BI blacklists Syrian for insulting RP consuls BI blacklists Syrian for insulting RP consuls

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has blacklisted a Syrian national for insulting Philippine consular officers in his country.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan ordered 47-year-old Ismail Saraj to be placed in the bureau’s list of undesirable aliens and banned from entering the country.

Libanan said the order stemmed from the request of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) which reported that Saraj threatened and insulted the officers and staff of the Philippine consulate in Damascus.

“His act of bad-mouthing and insulting Filipino consuls makes him an undesirable alien and unworthy of the privilege to enter and stay in the Philippines,” Libanan remarked.

It was learned that a foreign service circular had been issued by the DFA informing all its posts abroad not to issue an entry visa to Saraj.

According to DFA Assistant Secretary Domingo Lucenario Jr., the Syrian and his Filipino wife went to the Philippine consulate in Damascus last Oct. 2 to complain that their applications for visa to the Philippines had been denied.

The wife reportedly insisted that her husband should be granted visa since he is married to a Filipino citizen.

Consul General Fadi Debahy reportedly explained to Saraj that the consulate was unaware of the reasons why his visa application was denied.

Debahy advised the couple to contact the Philippine Embassy in Beirut regarding the visa denial.

But instead of accepting the explanation, Saraj allegedly went mad and threatened to get back at the consulate.

The Syrian then allegedly threatened to file a complaint against the consulate with the DFA.

His Filipino wife also reportedly warned one of the staff to better leave the consulate before anything bad happens to her and her colleagues.

Saraj and his wife allegedly continued to issue threats as they left.