Three Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel have been charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for their alleged involvement in the escape of a South Korean fugitive.
BI Spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandsoval said on Friday, March 7, a criminal complaint was filed against the three personnel — a driver and two escorts — assigned to the bureau’s Warden Facility in Taguig City, for the escape of South Korean Na Ikhyeon, 38.
The three personnel, whose identities have been withheld, were charged with conniving or consenting to evasion under Article 223 of the Revised Penal Code. One of them is a permanent employee while the two others are contractual employees.
“‘Yung mga contractual po na emplayado ay immediately terminated, tinanggal na po sa serbisyo,” the spokesperson said.
“‘Yung isa po na permanent employee nagsumite na po tayo ng rekomendasyon sa Department of Justice upang ma-initiate ang administrative case laban sa kanya,” she disclosed.
Na, who was arrested by the BI in 2023, was escorted to the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office last March 4 to attend a hearing on a case against him.
Sandoval said the three personnel submitted a sworn affidavit narrating that, after the hearing, the Korean managed to escape after using the comfort room of the Prosecutor’s Office.
However, the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) conducted an investigation and reviewed a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage refuting the claims of the three personnel.
The spokesperson said the CCTV footage showed that, after the hearing, the three personnel took the Korean to a bar where he was allowed to flee.
“Tumakas po ang pugante na wala man lang humabol. Hinatid pa po s’ya sa isang lokasyon na hindi naman dapat pinupuntahan ng mga pugante,” said Sandoval.
The BI official also observed “as evidenced by the CCTV, wala pong pagbabantay na nangyari. Very suspicious ‘yung mga actions ng ating mga tauhan. Ito ay hindi normal na activities ng ating personnel at mukhang may connivance itong puganteng ito doon sa mga nag-escort po sa kanya papunta doon sa korte,” said Sandoval who noted that the Korean was not even in handcuffs.
Na was arrested at the Clark International Airport in 2023 for using a fake passport. He is also wanted in his country for fraud.
The fugitive is facing an estafa case before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office that was filed by a Filipina jewelry shop owner who claimed that the foreigner failed to remit to her the sale of jewelry despite repeated demands. (Jeffrey Damicog)
