The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is preparing to deport two wanted fugitives, a Korean and a Japanese national, who are sought by authorities in their respective countries. Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado announced that both individuals were apprehended in separate operations conducted by the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) earlier this week in Metro Manila.
The Korean fugitive, Hwang Seongbin, 34, was arrested on September 30 along Rockwell Drive in Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. The second fugitive, Japanese national Sasaki Yohei, 36, was apprehended on October 1 along Mercury Street in Bahay Toro, Quezon City. Their arrests were made under mission orders issued by Viado at the request of the South Korean and Japanese governments, who are seeking their deportation to face charges for various crimes.
Hwang is wanted under an Interpol red notice and has an arrest warrant issued by the Eujeong District Court in Korea. He is accused of orchestrating a stock investment scam while serving as president of a financial institution, allegedly causing his victims losses totaling 100 million won (over $75,000) by enticing them to invest in fraudulent schemes.
Conversely, Yohei faces an active arrest warrant from the Omiya Summary Court in Saitama, Japan, for defrauding an elderly resident at a nursing home where he worked. He allegedly convinced the victim to invest over 3 million yen in a fictitious contract-related transaction. Additionally, Yohei is reportedly connected to a Cambodia-based telecom fraud syndicate involved in serious criminal activities, including kidnapping and extortion. Several high-ranking members of this syndicate have been arrested in previous operations by the BI-FSU.
Viado stated that both fugitives will be deported following the issuance of a summary deportation order by the BI Board of Commissioners. Subsequently, they will be blacklisted and prohibited from reentering the country. They are currently held at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, while deportation proceedings are underway.
