THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday said it sent home 49 South Korean fugitives in what officials described as the biggest deportation of Korean nationals since 2017.
The operation, carried out by the BI’s Deportation and Implementation Unit (DIU), was in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to ensure the swift removal of foreign fugitives and “undesirable aliens” from the country.
“In a landmark effort to uphold the rule of law and strengthen international cooperation, the Bureau of Immigration has cleared the way for the mass deportation of dozens of Korean fugitives,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said in a statement.
The 49 deportees, including 43 men and six women, were tagged by the South Korean government as fugitives from justice and were blacklisted by the Philippines.
They boarded a chartered flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, to Incheon City, escorted by immigration officials and representatives from the South Korean government.
Mr. Viado said that the last deportation of this scale happened in 2017, when 47 South Koreans were sent home.
“This recent effort is the result of the strong partnership between the BI and the South Korean Embassy, through our partner and good friend Consul Jongmin Park.”
Most of the deportees faced fraud-related cases in South Korea.
“We are grateful for the strong partnership with the South Korean government to make sure that these criminals be returned to their home country to face justice,” Mr. Viado said.
Among those deported was a 36-year-old man accused of masterminding a phishing syndicate that illegally accessed the banking information of around 200 victims and transferred a total of 1.7 billion South Korean won. He was arrested in April in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Another deportee is a 42-year-old man arrested in San Juan City last July for allegedly running 23 illegal online gambling websites targeting South Koreans, reportedly profiting more than 2 trillion South Korean won.
Others were involved in operating illegal online platforms, using violence against recruits, and engaging in real estate loan scams that embezzled billions of won.
Mr. Viado said the operation is also part of efforts to decongest the bureau’s holding facilities.
“The Philippines is not a haven for foreign fugitives. Those who abuse our country’s hospitality will face the harshest penalty of law,” he said. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking
