THREE Malaysian tourists were prevented from entering the Philippines on Friday night for disrespecting immigration officers.

According to the Bureau of Immigration, the Malaysians, a man and his two female companions, were denied entry at NAIA Terminal 3 moments after they arrived from Hong Kong. 

The BI said the Malaysians were turned away after uttering unpleasant words against the immigration officers who requested they present their return tickets, which they did not have.

”It was also reported that while the immigration supervisors on duty were explaining why they needed to show their plane tickets, the passengers became rude, shouted expletives, and refused to calm down,” the BI said.

Under existing rules, foreign tourists must present their return tickets to BI officers at the port of entry, and their failure to do so can be grounds to exclude them for being improperly documented aliens.

A BI memorandum also provides for the outright denial of entry to aliens who are rude and discourteous when being processed and interviewed by immigration officers upon their arrival.

As a result, passenger Tan Hoong Kiat, 35, and his female companions Lim Fong Teng, 31, and Khoo Seok Hun, 30, were excluded and booked on the first available flight to their port of origin.

They will also be included in the BI’s blacklist of aliens.