MANILA — Immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) arrested a 66-year-old Swiss national wanted for sex crimes involving children.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) identified the suspect as Heinz Arbenz, who was intercepted by officers at NAIA Terminal 1 on September 29 while attempting to board a flight to Bangkok.

His arrest follows President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable sectors from foreign predators.

Arbenz was taken into custody by the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) after authorities confirmed his prior convictions in Switzerland for sex-related offenses. Records show that he was convicted in 2017 and 2021 for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materials.

In 2024, the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Canton of Aargau in Switzerland filed new criminal charges against him for similar offenses. However, he fled the country while those proceedings were still pending.

According to the BI, Arbenz had been staying in the Philippines for over three weeks and was suspected of traveling across Southeast Asia to exploit children.

The arrest was made under the BI’s Project #Shieldkids, a campaign targeting child traffickers and foreign sexual predators posing risks to public safety, particularly to children.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado condemned the suspect’s presence in the country, saying it was “outrageous that such individuals continue to target the vulnerable.” He vowed that the bureau would use all available measures to ensure offenders are expelled and held accountable.

Arbenz is currently detained at the BI warden’s facility pending deportation. Once deported, he will be included in the BI’s blacklist and permanently banned from re-entering the Philippines.