BI to deport Korean fugitive

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport a South Korean fugitive arrested recently in Pampanga after almost two years of hiding in the country.

The BI board of commissioners issued a summary deportation order against Chong Won Sok, 48, for being an undesirable and undocumented alien, according to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente.

Chong is wanted in Seoul, where a court convicted him for swindling.

He was arrested at the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City on Nov. 27 and his passport has been cancelled by the South Korean government.

BI intelligence officer Bobby Raquepo, who led the arresting team, said Chong had been hiding in the country since March last year.

“On May 29, a Korean court sentenced him to one year in prison and he became the subject of an Interpol red notice after authorities learned that he had fled to the Philippines,” Raquepo said.

Records showed Chong was involved in a 35-million won swindling case in 2016 after he promised his compatriot that he could work out a 2.2-billion won loan for the latter’s housing project.

Instead of securing the loan, the suspect fled to the Philippines, taking with him the victim’s money.