The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the arrest of two South Koreans wanted in their country for involvement in large-scale fraud.
In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit identified the alien fugitives as Son Hyungjun, 36, and Choi Jong Bok, 40, who were arrested Tuesday, during separate operations conducted by the unit in Pampanga.
BI-FSU Acting Chief Rendel Ryan Sy said Son, who was arrested in Angeles City, was tagged as a member of the telecommunications fraud syndicate that defrauded its victims of more than 22 million won, or almost US$18,000.
Son, who is subject of an arrest warrant from the Busan District Court in South Korea, and his cohorts allegedly ran their racket from their headquarters in China wherein they made calls to their victims in South Korea through voice phishing.
On the other hand, Choi, who was arrested in Porac, Pampanga, is allegedly wanted for swindling a compatriot of more than ₱7 million in a fraudulent stock investment scheme.
A warrant for Choi’s arrest was issued by the Nambu District Court in Seoul where he was charged with fraud.
Sy said the passports of the two South Koreans were already revoked, thus they are now considered undocumented aliens who are liable for immediate deportation.
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A check of their travel records also revealed that both of them are already overstaying as they have been hiding in the country since they last arrived here as tourists in 2018.
The duo is currently detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings.
Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced that starting April 1, the Philippines will reopen its borders to all foreign tourists, including those from visa-exempt countries.
Puyat told Teleradyo that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) had approved the tourism industry’s expansion to all foreigners.
“Starting April 1, pumayag na ang IATF na all countries na ang papayagan dito. Noong February 10, nagbukas tayo for visa-free countries. Starting April 1, for all countries,” she said.
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