The Philippine Bureau of Immigration is embroiled in another corruption scandal. South Korean fugitive Na Ikhyeon admitted during a Senate hearing that he had bribed a person claiming to be a senior official of the immigration bureau with 6 million pesos to avoid detention.
Na Ikhyeon revealed that he handed the money to two individuals claiming to be Paulo and Raul, where Paulo claimed to be a high-ranking official at the immigration bureau's Manila headquarters, and Raul was a Philippine police officer.
"Paulo said he held a senior position at the immigration bureau, convincing me that he could help me escape supervision, while Raul was responsible for assisting in executing the plan," testified Na Ikhyeon through an interpreter.
Furthermore, he confessed that he had paid 8 million pesos to a Korean accomplice named Kim Song Hwan, attempting to escape through bail, but ultimately failed. According to Na Ikhyeon, Kim Song Hwan previously worked at a casino in Clark and has now fled to Malaysia.
Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed shock at the testimony, directly pointing out rampant corruption within the immigration bureau, and questioned whether the agency was involved in systemic corrupt practices.
Joel Anthony Viado, the head of the immigration bureau, responded at the hearing that two immigration officers who assisted Na Ikhyeon in escaping on March 4 had been dismissed, but he claimed to have no information regarding the so-called senior official Paulo.
When Hontiveros further questioned whether the immigration bureau was involved in other fugitive cases, Viado countered, emphasizing that all allegations must be based on evidence, not mere speculation.
Recently, there have been reports that some deported foreign employees of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) were not sent directly back to their home countries but were arranged on connecting flights, successfully escaping, raising suspicions about corruption in the immigration bureau.
Hontiveros stated, "This clearly provides an opportunity for corruption, and I do not believe that no one received kickbacks in this process. What regulatory measures has the immigration bureau taken to ensure that corruption does not occur?"
Viado responded, "If you have concrete evidence, please share it with us, and we are willing to investigate. We are a country governed by law, and all allegations must be factually based."
Meanwhile, on March 18, the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted a raid in Porac, Pampanga, successfully arresting four South Koreans suspected of operating illegal online gambling.
Two of the suspects have been listed as wanted by Interpol and are currently under further investigation, with Philippine authorities expecting to cooperate with the South Korean government on extradition matters.
