Canadian convicted of manslaughter barred from Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — A Canadian convicted of manslaughter nearly 14 years ago was recently barred from entering the country by immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Imad Hermiz, 32, aroused the suspicion of immigration officers upon his arrival at the NAIA Terminal 1 on Feb. 12 when he was unable to explain to their satisfaction his purpose in visiting the Philippines, his failure to give a detailed itinerary and identify where he would stay, said Grifton Medina, port operations division chief of the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

“He claimed that he will attend a religious activity in Davao City but could not provide details for said visit,” Medina said, adding that “inconsistencies in his statements were very apparent.”

Hermiz was excluded for being a public charge and deemed as a possible threat to public security.

Hermiz pleaded guilty to manslaughter in February 2007, admitting he stabbed dead a fellow Canadian during a party at a Toronto hotel in March 2005, according to the BI.

Several months after he was sentenced, Hermiz was reportedly released on parole. His temporary liberty was allegedly revoked after authorities learned he had been peddling illegal drugs.

Hermiz was placed in the BI blacklist of undesirable aliens to prevent him from entering the Philippines. – Rudy Santos