By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – A total of 180 foreign fugitives who are wanted for various crimes in their homelands were arrested by Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives last year.
In a report to Commissioner Joel Viado, BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) acting chief Rendel Ryan Sy said the figure was higher than the 128 outlaws arrested in 2023.
The majority of those arrested were South Korean nationals at 74, followed by 62 Chinese nationals, 12 Taiwanese, 11 Japanese, seven Americans, two Italians, and two Australians.
Also on the list is a British national, a Canadian, a German, an Indian, an Indonesian, a Jordanian, a Kyrgystani, a Liberian, a Nigerian, and a Serbian.
Offenses committed by these foreigners include economic crimes, investment scams, illegal gambling, money laundering, telecommunications fraud, robbery, and narcotics trading.
Among the notable arrests was the capture of six Japanese members of the notorious “Luffy” gang – Takayuki Kagashima, Sawada Masaya, Ueda Koji, Sjuzuki Seiji, Kiyohara Jun, Nagaura Hiroki – who are wanted for involvement in scams, extortion and fraud activities.
Also described as high-profile arrests were those of Australian Gregor Johann Haas and Serbian Predrag Mirkovic, who are wanted for illegal drugs. Meanwhile, Indian-Nepalese Joginder Geong was also captured due to charges of murder, extortion and robbery.
Sy added that the alien fugitives were captured in operations conducted by the unit’s operatives in various places nationwide where the said aliens have stayed while hiding in the country.
“Nearly all of them were already deported to their countries of origin where they are currently serving time in prison after being convicted for crimes they committed,” the BI official said in a statement.
At the same time, Viado noted that there will be no letup in the BI’s intensified campaign to run after wanted foreign criminals who have taken refuge here to evade prosecution for their crimes.
“As we have repeatedly declared, the Philippines is off limits to all foreign fugitives. This country is not a sanctuary for alien criminals. The order of the President is clear–protect our nation from external threats,” he said. (PNA)
