HIV-positive pinoy blacklisted by immigration, denied entry to PH

Director-actor Marcelino "Mars" Cavestany, a naturalized Australian citizen, was not allowed to enter the Philippines after being blacklisted by the Bureau of Immigration for being HIV positive.

According to news reports, the blacklist order said Cavestany should not be allowed entry because he will spread HIV. The former Filipino citizen arrived on March 6 and was held at the NAIA terminal.

Claiming he was not informed about the blacklist order, Cavestany decried being treated "like a criminal."

News reports said that then Commissioner Marcelino Libanan issued the order in March 2010 upon the request of the office of Malou Jacob of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Cavestany claimed that a fight with NCCA staff member Susan Claudio may have prompted the NCCA to request for the order.

Cavestany challenged immigration to junk the order, saying it is discriminatory and violates human rights.

According to the media, Cavestany flew to the Philippines from Darwin, Australia to do a film and pen a book about HIV.

From Spot.ph