The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the arrest of a Korean fugitive from South Korea who is wanted by authorities in Seoul for swindling a compatriot five years ago.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente identified the fugitive as 49-year-old Kim Dong Woo who was arrested on Monday in Las Pinas City by operatives from the Bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU).
Morente said Kim will soon be returned to Korea to face the charges against him, as an order for his summary deportation was already issued last month by the BI Board of Commissioners.
“His name has been placed in our immigration blacklist, hence any future attempts to re-enter the country will be barred,” the BI chief added.
BI FSU Chief Bobby Raquepo likewise reported that Kim is already an undocumented alien, as his passport was already revoked by the South Korean government.
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BI nabs Korean swindler in Las Pinas
It was learned that Kim has been on his government’s wanted list since he fled to the Philippines in February 2018 to evade prosecution on the charge of fraud that was filed against him.
“The Bureau recently received information about his crimes and was informed that his passport is no longer valid, hence the Commissioner issued a Mission Order for his arrest so he may be sent back to his home to be prosecuted,” said Raquepo.
Information from BI’s Interpol database showed that a in 2015, Kim, who was then in his office in Incheon, enticed a victim to lend him 65 million won, or almost US$58,000 for his alleged business.
Kim allegedly promised the victim that he would pay a 20-percent interest for the loan.
He, however, reneged on his promise and fled to Manila two years later upon learning that a criminal complaint was filed against him.
The Korean will be temporarily held at the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending his deportation.