Philippine immigration authorities arrested a South Korean fugitive and four other foreign nationals in separate operations last week. Among those apprehended was a 37-year-old South Korean identified as “Lee Minho,” a namesake of the renowned actor, who was arrested on November 25 inside the Clark Freeport Zone.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) Fugitive Search Unit acted on a mission order after receiving information from South Korean authorities that Lee was wanted for a violent crime committed five years ago. He is accused of conspiring with others to use a baseball bat to inflict serious injuries on a victim, leading to the victim’s hospitalization. An arrest warrant was issued by South Korea’s Suwon District Court in February 2024 for special bodily injury. An Interpol red notice was also issued in October 2024.
In a separate operation on November 26, BI agents arrested Jordanian national Shalabi Nidal Mohd Suleiman, 53, in Davao Oriental. He was wanted in Dubai for allegedly embezzling over 110,000 Euros and 200,000 AED from his former employer.
On November 27, Chinese national Wei Xiaofeng, 28, was apprehended in Makati City for using hidden cameras to record individuals without their consent and distributing the footage via a Telegram account.
Lastly, Taiwanese nationals Chen Chi-Yin, 32, and Huang Chun Fu, 31, were arrested on November 29 in Pasay City. They are reportedly members of the Bamboo Triad syndicate involved in large-scale smuggling of firearms and drugs in Taiwan.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized that the Philippines will not harbor foreign fugitives. “Our close coordination with foreign authorities has resulted in these arrests. The Philippines is not a haven for wanted criminals. These individuals will be deported, blacklisted, and permanently barred from returning to the country,” he stated.
