MANILA – On Thursday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed that three South Korean nationals, arrested for robbery charges in their homeland, will remain in its custody.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval stated, “They will remain in the BI’s facility in Bicutan, Taguig. We will check if they have pending cases in the Philippines. If there are no such cases and their travel documents are in order, we can proceed with their deportation.”
The three suspects, identified as Han Jungwoo (37), Jo Woongje (36), and Lee Chihoon (25), were arrested in Talisay City, Cebu, on May 3 by the BI’s fugitive search unit. They are subjects of red notices issued by Interpol following a Seoul eastern district court’s arrest order in January due to robbery charges.
Rendel Ryan Sy, acting chief of the BI-Fugitive Search Unit, explained that the suspects are accused of using high-tech tools, including tracking devices and surveillance cameras, to monitor victims and collect sensitive information such as passwords. This information was then used to infiltrate the homes of the victims, leading to the theft of valuables worth over 4.5 million Korean won (around US$3,300).
