The Bureau of Immigration (BI) deported 49 South Korean fugitives on Wednesday, the largest group expelled since 2017.
The 43 men and six women were put on a chartered flight to Incheon, escorted by Philippine and South Korean authorities. Most were facing charges of fraud, embezzlement, illegal gambling and large-scale online scams in South Korea.
Among those deported were 36-year-old Choi Hojun, who was arrested in Pampanga in April and accused of masterminding a phishing syndicate that stole 1.7 billion Korean won, and 42-year-old Han Jonghoon, who was arrested in San Juan City in July for allegedly operating 23 illegal gambling sites that earned more than 2 trillion Korean won.
According to BI commissioner Joel Viado, some of the fugitives had been in custody for years, with the earliest arrest dating back to February 2018. Viado said deportation proceedings can be delayed if fugitives have pending criminal cases in the Philippines.
He raised concerns about what he called the “demanda-me” scheme, where some foreigners intentionally have cases filed against them to delay their deportation. The BI is working with the Department of Justice to determine whether such cases are legitimate.
“All 49 have been flagged by the Bureau of Immigration as undesirable aliens, and their names have been added to our blacklist,” Viado said. He added that the Philippines “will not be a safe haven for fugitives.”
Viado said the bureau expects more deportations soon, including about 20 more South Koreans and a separate group of fugitives from other countries.