BI to deport Chinese, Korean fugitives

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport a Chinese and a Korean, who are both wanted in their respective countries, an official said on Friday. (File Photo: Bureau of Immigration, Republic of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport a Chinese and a Korean, who are both wanted in their respective countries, an official said on Friday.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente identified the Chinese fugitive as Huang Kun, 36, and Korean Lee Byungchul, 53. Both were arrested recently in separate operations by members of the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU) in Taguig City and Angeles City, Pampanga.

Morente said they will be deporting the two foreigners for being felons and for being undocumented aliens as their passports were already canceled by their respective governments.

“They can no longer return to the Philippines because they have been placed in our immigration blacklist,” Morente said in a statement.

On the other hand, FSU chief Bobby Raquepo said Huang, wanted in China for economic crimes, was arrested on August 3 inside a condominium in Taguig City.

The foreigner allegedly defrauded more than 200 victims, mostly elderly, of more than 100 million yuan or USD14.2 million in a pyramiding investment scam.

Meanwhile, the BI intelligence officer said the Korean was turned over to the Bureau by Angeles City policemen on August 5 after reportedly mauling a fellow Korean.

“It later turned out during the investigation that he is the subject of an Interpol red notice for being a wanted fugitive in Korea on fraud and money laundering charges,” Raquepo added.

Korean authorities alleged that in April, Lee duped a compatriot into transferring almost USD75,000 to his account after he called up the victim and introduced himself as a prosecutor.

He allegedly frightened the victim into believing that his bank account is under investigation for fraud and that his deposit was at risk that he should transfer the money to the suspect’s bank account for safekeeping.