Health problems trap Australian professor in NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — An 84-year-old Australian professor who was denied entry into the Philippines upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA-1) is currently staying at the airport’s “exclusion room” while waiting for authorities to clear him for travel.

 Gill Hale Boehringer arrived at the NAIA-1 on Wednesday on board China Southern Airlines from Guangzhou, China.

Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval clarified that upon being served the exclusion order, Boehringer was turned over to China Southern, which is required by law to put him on the next available flight to his port of origin.

Boehringer said he came to the country to see his 41-year-old Filipina wife, whom he married last month, in Mindanao. 

He denied joining an anti-government rally in 2015, saying he was not in the Philippines then. The BI blacklisted Boehringer after he was reportedly spotted joining the rally.

Boehringer, who said he is suffering from thrombosis, noted that Australian embassy officials told him to convince the BI to give him a medical certificate stating he is fit to travel in order to leave the Philippines, but “the BI did not want to issue a certification.”

Sandoval said the BI’s doctors regularly update the agency on Boehringer’s status. She said the airline reported that Boehringer is unable to board his scheduled flight due to medical reasons.

She said Boehringer will board his flight to Guangzhou once he is cleared to travel.