CNN —The Philippines has banned for life an American traveler whom it accused of writing “profane words” on a digital immigration form and being rude to immigration officers.
Anthony Laurence, 34, was refused entry and put on a blacklist permanently following his allegedly “disrespectful” behavior, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement last week.
Laurence, who told CNN he is a property investor who lives in the country intermittently, disputes the immigration authority’s account.
He did not respond to CNN’s questions about what he wrote on the form and whether it included any profanities.
But he said, “I immediately apologized and the immigration officer wasn’t interested.”“I even hand-wrote an apology to the immigration officer which he wasn’t interested in as well,” Laurence added.
Persons:
Anthony Laurence, Norman Tansingco, Laurence, ”, Tansingco, “, wasn’t, ” “, ” Laurence
Organizations:
CNN, Philippine Bureau of Immigration, Ninoy Aquino, Airport, Air, Cebu –
Locations:
Philippines, Manila, Bangkok, Thailand, Air Asia, Philippine, Cebu