MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration has found and taken into its custody Na Ikhyeon, a South Korean fugitive whom three of its staff helped escape last week, it said Sunday morning.

Na had been hiding in a residential area in Angeles City in Pampanga and was arrested through the joint efforts of BI’s Fugitive Search Unit and Intelligence Division, city and regional police units, the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group and naval intelligence.

Authorities also arrested Kang Changboem, who authorities said helped Na escape. South Korean police have since confirmed that Kang is also wanted in South Korea for fraud. 

BI says manhunt initiated vs South Korean who fled from authorities

The two will be brought to the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig and, the bureau said, "special arrangements will be made to ensure heightened security, as they are now tagged as high-risk detainees with intent to escape."

The bureau said last Wednesday that Na is wanted in Korea for his alleged involvement in deceptive investments and misleading his fellow Koreans by directing them to invest in non-existent accounts.

He was arrested in May 2023 but his deportation had been deferred pending the resolution of an estafa case against him at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Na slipped BI custody during a hearing last week, with the help of BI personnel. The bureau said last Wednesday they would also look into whether Na's lawyer was involved in the escape.

"The swift and decisive actions taken by the BI and the DOJ in this case demonstrate the unrelenting efforts of the agency to uphold justice and maintain the integrity of its operations," the BI said Sunday.

In a related development, the BI also addressed the involvement of three employees in aiding Na’s escape, as shown in CCTV footage.

Two of the employees, both contractual workers, were immediately terminated from the service.

The case of a permanent employee was escalated to the Department of Justice, which also eventually led to dismissal.

The BI has been plagued by corruption issues since in recent years, including a scheme where immigration officers would escort foreign nationals past passport screening at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

In recent months, it has been in the news for incidents of persons of interest in cases managing to slip out of the country. — from a report by Karen De Guzman, ABS-CBN News

Hontiveros warns BI of revamp for still not knowing how Alice Guo escaped

RELATED VIDEO