Thursday, July 05, 2007 Malig: Undesirable Koreans By Jun A. Malig Cognition
POLICEMEN have arrested one of the three Korean nationals wanted for allegedly murdering two other Koreans and attempted murder of another inside a rented house in Barangay Tabun in Angeles City last March 5.
Senior Superintendent Guillermo, chief of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Central Luzon, identified the suspect as Yong Yel Yu, 43, married, who resides in Tabun and in San Rafael, Bulacan. Yu was arrested at around 8 p.m. last Tuesday, July 3, while on board a rented vehicle along Matalino St. corner Kalayaan Avenue in Quezon City by joint elements of CIDG-Pampanga, CIDG Anti Transnational Crime Division, and Angeles City Police Office. He was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued earlier by Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 58 Judge Angelita Paras-Quiambao for two counts of murder and attempted murder.
His co-accused, identified as Bruce Lee and Chang Hwan Lee, are still being hunted down by policemen for allegedly shooting to death Sang-Kak Cho, 53, and another still unidentified Korean national and in attempting to kill Seok Hwan Kim, 42, inside the rented house of Bruce Lee at Purok 1, Santol Road in Barangay Tabun last March 5.
Investigation by CIDG showed that Seok, whose hands were hogtied, was seen by neighbors jumping over the fence of Lee’s rented house around 6:15 p.m. on the said date. Once outside, he immediately sought the neighbors’ help in calling for police assistance, saying that somebody was trying to kill him and that his two companions were already gunned down inside the house.
As neighbors were calling the police, the three suspects hastily fled on board a light gray Toyota Vios without plate no. and a light gray Mitsubishi Adventure with license plate no. RBE-837. The second vehicle was later found out to be owned by Cho.
Responding policemen found inside Lee’s rented house the lifeless bodies of Cho and the unidentified Korean. A .45 caliber pistol and several cartridges of 9mm pistol were also discovered inside the house.
An earlier interview by CIDG agents on the former Filipina live-in partner of Bruce Lee showed that the Korean’s business was escorting other Korean nationals in casinos. She told investigators that Lee was about 36 years old, 5’9’ in height, muscular, and has a dragon tattoo on his back. She said the three suspects were living together in the house. She added that she had parted ways with the Korean in December last year due to personal differences.
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Perhaps the Bureau of Immigration and officials of the ports of entry, especially Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, should find ways to somehow establish the identities and backgrounds of some, if not all, Koreans freely coming in and out of the Philippines without the need to secure visa from the Philippine Embassy in South Korea if only to somehow ensure that they do not intend to commit crimes or evil deeds while staying in our country.
I have heard accounts about very enterprising Koreans who have been employing Filipinos to scout for young Filipinas belonging to poor families, particularly in rural areas of Pampanga and nearby provinces. The parents of the girls are being lured by these Koreans with gifts, frequent meals at expensive restaurants, and promises of financial support to compel their daughters to marry old Koreans who do not even speak English.
This is something the Philippine government, especially the National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation should look into.
