By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on law enforcement to investigate the case of the Korean fugitive who allegedly escaped from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) detention center.
“Fresh reports have just come in. We’ve received credible information from sources that this fugitive managed to escape just yesterday while en route to his hearing in Quezon City. Is this true? If it is, the question is: Did he escape, or was he allowed to escape? At the very least, this is gross negligence on the part of the BI,” Hontiveros said.
“I urge law enforcement to investigate this matter immediately. A criminal cannot be allowed to roam freely in our country,” she added.
Na Ikhyeon, a South Korean national, was apprehended in Clark, Pampanga in 2023 for using a fake Filipino identity. It was later discovered that he was wanted in South Korea for his involvement in large-scale fraud.
“Our Senate Committee on Women hearings have shown that many POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) workers also pretend to be Filipinos, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this fugitive is also linked to POGO. Many individuals connected to POGO are involved in fraud and scamming operations, so it’s likely that he has ties to scam networks here in the country,” the senator said.
Hontiveros expressed her ongoing frustration with the BI’s repeated failure to perform its duties effectively.
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