A Filipino fugitive wanted for syndicated estafa in a P77 million fraud case was arrested upon his arrival in Singapore and is set for deportation to the Philippines.
Evan Jessie Yorong Sabilla, also known as Eddie Jessie Sabilla, was flagged by authorities after attempting to enter Singapore following stops in Bangkok and Hong Kong. Singaporean immigration authorities detained him after receiving an alert about his fugitive status.
According to an Inquirer.net report, Sabilla is accused of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme between March and May 2023, in which he and his accomplices allegedly issued payments despite knowing their bank account had insufficient funds or was already closed. The case was formally filed in the Philippines on August 9, 2024.
Before his arrest, Sabilla had been working as a singer in Phuket, Thailand. Authorities tracked his movements as he traveled to Bangkok, Hong Kong, and ultimately Singapore, where he was apprehended.
Philippine Embassy Police Attaché in Thailand, Colonel Dominador Matalang, confirmed that Sabilla was deported to Thailand on March 1 and remained in custody before his scheduled deportation to the Philippines on March 2 via Cebu Pacific flight 5J 932. Upon arrival, he will be handed over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Matalang clarified that Sabilla will not be handcuffed and will be treated as a regular passenger during his deportation. Since the arrest warrant was issued in the Philippines, Thai authorities could not detain him.
His arrest was made possible through the coordinated efforts of immigration and law enforcement agencies in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Manila, as part of a broader crackdown under “Operation Maharlika.”
