Earlier charged over ‘Sex tourism’: Sued Koreans now out of Philippines

CEBU, Philippines - The seven South Koreans who were charged in Cebu for participating in the so-called sex tourism in Lapu-Lapu City have left the country.

A source at the Bureau of Immigration - Cebu told The Freeman that the seven left on March 8.

Despite the case pending against them, they were reportedly not held back because there is no hold departure order against them.

The source said that as a matter of procedure, a hold departure order must be issued by the court and, subsequently, by a BI commissioner.

Also, based on BI files, the seven Koreans had no prior derogatory record.

"Based on our records, these Koreans are not fugitives nor blacklisted nor under our watchlist. We have no basis to hold them or restrict their right to travel," the source said.

The source said the South Koreans were also not overstaying, an immigration offense that can be a ground for deportation. They could have stayed here for 30 days.

Atty. Orwen Bonghanoy, legal counsel of the Koreans, told The Freeman that his clients posted bail at P120,000 bail last week but that was the last time he was in touch with them.

In an interview with The Freeman, Special Investigator Arnel Pura of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said the Koreans violated the undertaking they agreed to in court when they posted bail.

He said the release order stipulated that the Koreans have to file a motion to travel to seek for the court’s permission if they wish to travel outside Cebu.

The case against them is pending before the Regional Trial Court in Lapu-Lapu City.

Pura said no motion was filed.

Possible option

Yesterday, Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, the head of the Provincial Women’s Commission and the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children, met with government lawyers to discuss options on how to bring the Koreans back to Cebu to face charges.

Like Pura, Magpale pointed out the restrictions set by the court for the suspects.

 “They applied sa court and they were allowed by the judge. Usa sa gibutang sa judge kay restricted travel. In case they want to travel, they will inform the court, which they did not. Nilarga sila wa’y pahibalo,” she said.

 She said that because the Philippines and Korea have an extradition treaty, the court can issue another arrest warrant agains the seven Koreans, granting the treaty covers the case for which they were charged.

“We can have them arrested because the case has already been filed against them but we have to check first if trafficking cases can be extradited,” she said.

 Magpale said she will meet with Korean Consul General Oh Sung-Yong, the Korean association president in Cebu, BI, and NBI next week to discuss the matter further.

Arrest

The Koreans – Jongham Ham, Jong In Han, Munsu Lee, Hosik Park, Jointae Kim, Jae Gyu Kim, and Dongkil Kim – were caught in the company of Filipino women during a rescue operation the NBI carried out at a beach house in Barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City.

They were sued for allegedly violating the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

There were nine Koreans arrested originally but none of the women rescued issued incriminating statements against Namgyun Shin and Byeonghae Park.

Separate complaints for syndicated qualified trafficking were also filed against a certain Maribeth Bontog and a certain Choi, Andy and Kim.

The four who remain at large were the ones who allegedly recruited women to serve as sex partners and escorts to Koreans.

It was allegedly Bontog who recruited the women while it was Choi who referred them to his Korean clients. Andy and Kim facilitated the clients' stay in Cebu.

The women rescued are ages 19 to 21. (FREEMAN)