In this edition of Hi, My Name is....we are back to profiling foreigners in the Philippines. Many people think they can hide out in this archipelago but the long arm of the law always catches up to them.
Hi, my name is Choi Seung. Back in my home country of South Korea I was "the head of a telecom scam syndicate obtaining PHP215 million from some 800 victims from 2015 to 2016." After scamming everything I could I went on the run to the Philippines thinking I could hide from the authorities but they found me.
Authorities nabbed a South Korean fugitive in Muntinlupa City who is wanted for telecommunications fraud in his home country, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said Tuesday.
Citing reports from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Azurin said the suspect Choi Seung, 36, was arrested by members of the CIDG and the Fugitive Search Unit of the Bureau of Immigration in Alabang on Monday.
Seung is the subject of a red notice from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for transnational crime.
Reports gathered by the PNP reveal that the subject is the head of a telecom scam syndicate obtaining PHP215 million from some 800 victims from 2015 to 2016.
“The PNP is always ready to respond to complaints especially if it involves a large-scale fraud such as this. Kaligtasan niyo, sagot ko! But this is a team effort so we recognize the dedication shown by everyone in the organization to resolving cases involving foreign nationals,” Azurin said in a statement.
The PNP will properly coordinate with South Korean authorities to determine the proceedings in handling this case.
Hi, my name is John Anthony Cole. I was driving my large For Everest SUV when I hit a tricycle. INstaed of stopping to help I sped off. The tricycle driver chased after me, blocked me, but then I hit him again which caused him to smash into two other vehicles. At least he didn't die.
A British national was arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 27, for hitting a tricycle and driving away after the incident in General Mariano Alvarez town in Cavite province.
The Region 4A police, in a report, said John Anthony Cole was traveling around 5:45 p.m. aboard a Ford Everest when he hit a tricycle driven by Ernani Dapuran inside a subdivision in Barangay Gregoria De Jesus.
Instead of stopping, Cole sped off and left the scene.
Dapuran gave chase and managed to block the suspect’s vehicle along Congressional Road.
But Cole hit Dapuran’s vehicle again. The wayward tricycle consequently hit two vehicles.
Police who responded to the incident arrested Cole and put him under detention. He is facing appropriate criminal charges.
Hi, my name is John Crotty. In my home country of the United Kingdom I was imprisoned for six years. Shortly after that I moved to the Philippines as a tourist. Of course I did not plan on leaving so I stayed. IN February Interpol released a green notice for me. When the PNP arrested me they found obscene photos of underage Filipinos on my website and social media accounts. Now I am being investigated for those photos.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Thursday reported the arrest of a 64-year-old convicted sex offender for allegedly running a child sex website in the Philippines.
In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the foreigner as John Crotty, who was arrested last Sept. 15 in his rented home in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental.
The arrested foreign national was also investigated for alleged film piracy after the arresting officers found pieces of evidence of him distributing obscene photos of underage Filipino girls on his website and social media accounts.
He was reportedly jailed for nine years in the United Kingdom (UK) but moved to the country shortly after his release from prison.
According to BI Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr., the operation was conducted by joint enforcers from the BI's Fugitive Search Unit and Intelligence Division, in coordination with the Tangub City police.
“The arrest followed after receiving official communication from British authorities informing us that Crotty became the subject of an Interpol green notice that was issued last February 21," he said.
The BI official added that Crotty had hidden in the Philippines since Feb. 6 when he arrived in the country as a tourist and has since overstayed.
Meanwhile, Tansingco vowed to prioritize the arrest and deportation of sex offenders such as Crotty who prey on vulnerable victims online.
“These predators pose a serious threat to our women and children and there is no place for them here," he said.
Crotty was also placed on the BI blacklist effectively barring him from re-entering the country.
Hi, my name is Jack Liu. I am a Chinese businessman. I had a fiancee but we broke up. Wanting to get back to her I told her to meet up with me or I would leak our sex tapes online. She did not believe me so I sent one to a friend. That got her attention and the attention of the PNP.
A 31-year-old Chinese businessman accused of “sextortion” was nabbed in an entrapment in Iloilo City last week.
Jack Liu, of Barangay Muelle Loney, was nabbed by the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 6 (RACU-6) on October 12 after his former fiancée complained that he threatened to leak their sex videos on social media if she would not agree to meet up with him
According to a report Sunday of Lt. Col. Artemio Ricabo, RACU-6 Officer-in-Charge, the victim also alleged abusive behavior by Liu.
“The suspect, not wanting to end their relationship, started threatening the victim that he will spread their sex videos if she leaves him,” Ricabo said in a statement.
The victim ignored Liu’s threats at first until he sent their video to one of her friends.
RACU-6 set up the operation when the victim agreed to meet her former lover at a lodge in Molo district.
As soon as the victim entered the room, operatives immediately followed and arrested the suspect, who was caught naked.
“I commend the personnel of RACU 6 and Iloilo Police Station for a job well done. The immediate decision of the victim to seek our help led to the arrest of the suspect,” PNP-ACG chief Brig. Gen. Joel Doria said in another statement.
Hi, our names are Lai Po Ving, Amritpal, and Pritpal Singh. One of us is Taiwanese and the other two are Indian. We were all intercepted at Clark airport by the Bureau of Immigration. Lai Po Ving had a fake visa and passport, had been deported previously, and was wanted back in Taiwan for drug offenses. Amritpal, and Pritpal Singh were caught with fake Philippine visas and stamps. They sent us all back to our home countries.
A Taiwanese wanted for drug-related crimes and two Indian nationals using fake immigration stamps were recently apprehended by Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the Clark International Airport.
BI Intelligence Division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. identified the Taiwanese as Lai Po Ving, 33, and the Indian nationals as Amritpal, 30 and Pritpal Singh, 24, who all attempted to board a Tiger Air flight bound for Singapore last Oct. 6.
He said Lai initially presented his Turkish passport bearing the name Lai Bulut along with his Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) card.
But after further verification of his travel history and documents, it was learned that he is the subject of a summary deportation order issued last April 2021 for violation of the terms and conditions of his stay under the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.
The foreigner was also discovered to be wanted by the Taiwan Police Attache for violation of the Anti-Illegal Drug Act.
"He tried to evade prosecution for his crime by using his Turkish passport, but his plan was foiled by our officers who were very thorough in checking his records," said Manahan in a statement.
Meanwhile, Amritpal and Singh were intercepted for having passports that were affixed with counterfeit Philippine entry visas, visa extension stickers, and arrival stamps.
The three erring foreign nationals were turned over to the BI’s legal division pending deportation proceedings.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco commended immigration officers for the triple apprehension.
"These arrests are a testament to our officers' vigilance in manning our ports. Rest assured that we will remain true to our mission to contribute to national security and development,” he said.
He also warned foreigners who try to evade immigration laws by using false documents.
"These attempts to use (fake) visas and stamps to clear immigration inspection are futile. Our officers undergo rigorous training to detect dubious documents," Tansingco said.
Hi, my name is Victor Patrick. I am a Ghanaian and I came to the Philippines as a tourist in 2019. Later I applied for a missionary visa. But my real mission was to hack and rob ATMs. However, I am part of a much larger syndicate.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday announced the arrest of a Ghanaian national suspected to be the mastermind of a West African syndicate that hacks automated teller machines (ATMs) in the Philippines.
In a media release, Immigration Intelligence Division Chief, Fortunato Manahan Jr., identified the African as Victor Patrick, 34, arrested in a joint operation conducted by members of the BI and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last Oct. 14 in the parking lot of a mall in Bicutan.
According to the Immigration officer, a mission order was issued following a letter sent by local intelligence authorities regarding Patrick's illegal activities in the country.
"The AFP said that Patrick is one of the prime suspects involved in an ATM hacking syndicate. He has been seen to frequent several big banks in Barangay Moonwalk in Parañaque," Manahan said.
Manahan said that after verification of Patrick's travel history and visa status, it was learned that the foreigner arrived in the country last April 20, 2019 using a tourist visa and applied for a missionary visa, which was petitioned by a Cebu-based company.
Immigration agents then conducted surveillance on the declared address of the company and discovered that it does not exist.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Patrick will be facing deportation charges for violation of Section 37(a)(9) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 after obtaining an immigration document under false statement and representation.
"Patrick's visa is deemed void from the start considering that it was obtained by means of fraud," he said.
Tansingco added that they are in close coordination with local law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest possible cohorts and other foreign scammers that might be in the country.
Hi, my name is Andrew Clark Stewart. I'm from Canada. I've been staying illegally in the Philippines for a while now. I probably would have gotten away with it if my neighbors had not reported my unruly behavior. Now I will be deported back to Canada.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday reported the arrest of an overstaying Canadian national for the alleged destruction of properties in their subdivision in Pampanga.
In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Andrew Clark Stewart, 62, was arrested at around 10 a.m. in front of his house in Angeles City last Oct. 18.
He was apprehended based on a complaint for his unruly behavior in the subdivision where he resides.
“When our officers approached Stewart, he failed to present a valid passport or any identification card. He was then arrested for being in flagrante undocumented,” the BI chief said.
The foreigner is now facing a deportation case for violating the conditions of his stay under the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, for overstaying, and for being an undocumented immigrant.
“This should serve as a warning to foreigners who wish to stay in the country. Legalize your stay and behave appropriately or face detention and deportation,” Tansingco added.
The foreigner is currently at the BI detention center in Bicutan, Taguig pending deportation proceedings.
Hi, our names are Ko Chang Hwan and Min Seokchul. We are both South Koreans. Min was arrested for overstaying and I was arrested because I'm wanted for importing illegal drugs in my home country.
And our names are Lu Changyong and Lu Changxin. We are both wanted for large scale fraud in our home country of China.
Four foreigners were recently arrested in separate operations conducted by the fugitive search unit (FSU) of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Pasay City and Oriental Mindoro.
According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the fugitives, two South Koreans and two Chinese nationals were apprehended on Oct. 25 and on Nov. 2, respectively.
Arrested last month inside a condominium unit along Balagtas St., Pasay City was Ko Chang Hwan, 52, who is wanted by authorities in his country for importing illegal drugs.
The BI-FSU said the foreign national is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Suwon district court in Ansan, South Korea where he is charged with violating his country’s narcotics control act.
During the operation, the agents encountered inside Ko’s residence another Korean national, Min Seokchul, 44, who was found to be overstaying since 2018.
On the other hand, the BI team arrested early this month Lu Changyong, 48, and Lu Changxin, 46, at a beach resort in Puerto Galera.
They are both wanted for large-scale fraud.
The Chinese government said the two fugitives are subjects of arrest warrants issued by the public security bureau in Jilin, China for committing contract fraud in violation of the country’s criminal law.
All of them are currently detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation.
Hi, our names are Minh Viet Phan and Chi Trung Nguyen and we are Vietnamese. We kidnapped a fellow Vietnamese woman and held for a ransom. Thankfully her boyfriend paid the requested 1 million pesos. Though we had requested 50 million initially. But of course the law caught up with us and we have been arrested for kidnaping.
Two Vietnamese nationals were arrested for kidnapping their compatriot, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Wednesday.
Citing the report of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. identified the suspects as Minh Viet Phan, 29, and Chi Trung Nguyen, 27, who were apprehended by AKG operatives on Nov. 17 and 18, respectively.
Their arrest came after the kidnap victim, a Vietnamese woman, was rescued in Antipolo City on Nov. 16.
Reports showed that on Oct. 29, the victim known as "Ms. Anne" left a hotpot restaurant at the Aseana Business Park near the corner of Macapagal Boulevard and Aseana Avenue in Parañaque City to meet someone in a bar and did not return.
At around 9 p.m. on the same day, the victim’s boyfriend received messages and video of the victim being beaten by the alleged kidnappers through Telegram and demanded PHP50 million from him in exchange for her safe release.
In the course of negotiation, the ransom was reduced to PHP1 million which was transferred in two tranches to a bank account given by the suspects for the victim’s safe release.
The victim was then abandoned by her captors at Blue Mountain, Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City where she was rescued.
On Nov. 17, a follow-up operation was conducted by AKG members, resulting in the arrest of Minh in his condominium at around 7 p.m at La Verti Residences, Pasay City while Chi was arrested at around 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 18, at a karaoke bar in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City
The suspects are undergoing investigation prior to the filing of the criminal complaint as prime suspects for kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention.
Operations are underway to arrest other suspects in the crime.
