OPERATIVES of the Bureau of Immigration last year arrested 128 foreign fugitives in the Philippines who are wanted for crimes in their home countries, the bureau reported last month.
The fugitives were captured in different places nationwide, the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU) said.
South Koreans accounted for the bulk of the arrested fugitives, numbering 39, a statement from the bureau revealed.
They were followed by 25 Chinese nationals, 15 Vietnamese, 12 Taiwanese, 11 Americans and eight Japanese.
The fugitives were involved in a variety of crimes including robbery, investment scams, illegal gambling, money laundering, telecommunications fraud, smuggling and other economic crimes, according to the FSU.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said there would be no letup in the bureau’s campaign to hunt and deport fugitives so they could be tried for the crimes they committed in their country.
The bureau said among those it arrested were “Manpreet Singh and his cohorts last March, who were tagged as members of an extremist group known as the Khalistan Tiger Force in India.”
Last August, BI Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said Manpreet Singh Gill, 23, and Mandeep Singh, 26, were deported after their arrest last March 7 with two others in Iloilo City.
Manpreet was the subject of a murder investigation in India, and had a warrant of arrest issued by the Additional Chief Magistrate, Moga Punjab for violation of India’s arms act, the bureau said.
Also arrested in the first half of last year were Risa Yamada, Fujita Kairi and Sato Shohei for their links with the “Luffy” syndicate believed to be behind robberies in Japan, the BI said.
SunStar reports show that among those the BI arrested in Cebu City last year were a former high ranking official of Mongolia, Tunjin Badamjunai, 67, who was facing corruption charges. He was arrested on April 4 with the help of Mongolian Police.
Last Oct. 23, Korean national Choi Sun Hyeok was also arrested in a casino in Barangay Lahug for being an undocumented alien. He was wanted in South Korea for his alleged membership in a drug syndicate.
According to a report of Superbalita Cebu at the time of his arrest, the Korean was temporarily residing in Barangay Upper Casili, Mandaue City.
Choi was alleged to have been sending drugs arriving in the Philippines to South Korea through couriers who hid them in their clothes on flights to South Korea.
From Jan. 27 to Feb. 4, 2023, he was alleged to have connived with some individuals to send 265.65 grams of shabu to South Korea.