PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not let anyone off the hook if it is proven that members of the Bureau of Immigration have been remiss in their duties or even involved in the escape of a Korean fugitive who was recently recaptured in Angeles City, Pampanga.
“The President does not let anomalies like this slide. He has consistently directed agency heads to conduct prompt investigations and address issues immediately,” Communications Undersecretary and palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a press briefing in Malacanang.
Castro said the President directed government agencies, including the BI, to conduct immediate investigations on the escape of South Korean Na Ikhyeon.
She said BI Commissioner Norman Viado had initially launched an investigation on the escape of the Korean, who had recently been rearrested in Pampanga, and found that there were individuals within the Bureau of Immigration involved.
“The two officials directly implicated—along with possible other accomplices still under investigation—were swiftly removed from their positions,” Castro said.
She said the Department of Justice (DOJ) had filed charges against the suspects under Article 223 of the Revised Penal Code, which penalizes public officers who consent to or facilitate an escape while separate administrative cases are being readied for filing.
Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros said yesterday that a deeper investigation should be conducted on the escape of Na.
Hontiveros said the escape of Na confirmed her earlier statement that he could have been aided by government officers to make good his escape. Earlier reports said Na escaped while he allegedly used the comfort room at the Quezon City Hall of Justice while attending a court hearing last week.
“We will pursue this at the next subcommittee (on justice and human rights) hearing. I will have the CCTV footage subpoenaed, including those at Pegasus because it is possible that they had their transaction there,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
Hontiveros called on Viado to impose the “strictest penalties” to their three personnel, including the filing of criminal charges under Article 223 of the Revised Penal Code or “conniving with or consenting to evasion.”
“This is symptomatic of the failures and offenses of the BI in handling erring foreign nationals. It looks like the agency is still plagued with corruption,” she added.
Meanwhile, two more South Korean fugitives were arrested in separate operations in Cebu and Paranaque, the Bureau of Immigration said yesterday.
Viado said the two were arrested last March 3 in separate operations conducted by operatives from the BI’s fugitive search unit.
Viado said both Koreans, who are the subjects of red notices from the Interpol, were arrested at the request of the South Korean government which sought the BI’s assistance in locating and deporting the fugitives.
“They will then be blacklisted and banned from re-entering the country,” Viado said.
Apprehended in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City was Sim Sooryong, 38, who is the subject of an arrest issued by the Changwon district court on November 26 last year when he was indicted for conspiring with an accomplice in robbing a victim after attacking the latter with an axe on the back of the head and other parts of his body.
The suspects, according to Viado, allegedly threatened and forced their victim to transfer 25 million won into their bank account while the latter was restrained with duct tape.
Also arrested along A. Santos Avenue, San Dionisio, Parañaque City, was Kim Kwanghyun, 40, who is wanted for setting up illegal gambling sites on the Internet.
A warrant for his arrest was issued on March 18, 2016 by the Gwangju district court, where he was charged for violating Korea’s national sports promotion act.
The BI chief said the Korean was accused of operating several online gambling sites since 2015 through which he reportedly amassed over 16 billion won from sports betting tickets online.
BI records also showed that both Koreans are already overstaying in the country.
Sim’s last arrival here was on February 3, 2019 while Kim arrived on January 28, 2018.
They are detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City where they will remain until they are deported.
