Heads roll over Korean fugitive’s escape

Several personnel of the Bureau of Immigration were dismissed by Commissioner Joel Viado following the escape of a South Korean fugitive they were escorting to a hearing.

Viado ordered the immediate removal of the personnel involved in the escape of Korean Na Ikhyeon, stressing that he would not tolerate “negligence, corruption, or collusion within our ranks.”

“This is a turning point for the bureau. Hindi na puede yun nakagawian ng kalokohan (The shenanigans of the past will no longer be tolerated).Those who think they can get away with this should think again,” Viado said in a statement on Friday.

“We will expose, punish, and remove anyone who betrays the trust of this institution and the Filipino people,” he added.

Viado ordered a manhunt for the high-profile fugitive.

Na escaped after he attended a hearing on a case filed against him in Quezon City on Tuesday, 4 March. He was accompanied to the hearing by three BI agents.

Viado initiated an internal audit of all staff assigned to high-risk deportation and detention cases to prevent future breaches.

“This is a clear and obvious violation of duty. No justification or blame will be accepted — all involved will be held responsible. We will not allow carelessness, dishonesty, or cooperation among our staff,” Viado declared.

If the inquiry reveals complicity, Viado vowed that “heads will roll” and promised a full-scale crackdown on renegade immigration officers.

“The bureau’s days of doing business illegally and behind closed doors are coming to an end. We are cleaning house — and this is just the beginning,” he stressed.

The BI agents were not identified.

In addition to administrative proceedings, they may face criminal charges for infidelity in the custody of a prisoner.

Complete cooperation

Despite having been in office only 157 days, Viado vowed additional reforms and a revamp at the BI.

He also assured the BI’s full cooperation with the Senate and other law enforcement agencies in any investigation.

A criminal complaint has been filed in the Department of Justice, Viado said.

“It is not a simple negligence; the video is damning evidence. Collusion is clearly evident in the interactions and motions captured on the footage. Adding to this, we have secured additional testimonial evidence that further strengthens our case against those involved,” he said.

Investigators are reviewing the CCTV that appear to show the BI officials assisting in the Korean’s escape.

The BI chief acknowledged that additional investigations are underway, but the information acquired thus far is sufficient to bring criminal charges against those involved.