BI arrests ‘Lee Minho,’ four other foreign fugitives

A man sharing the name of popular South Korean actor Lee Minho was arrested by the Bureau of Immigration's (BI's) Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) in Clark, Pampanga.

The 37-year-old suspect was apprehended on  November 25, 2024, at the Clark Freeport Zone.

Authorities reported that the Suwon District Court in South Korea issued a warrant for his arrest in February 2024. He allegedly conspired with others in 2019 to assault a victim with a baseball bat, causing severe injuries that required hospital confinement.

An Interpol Red Notice was issued for him in  October.

Four other fugitives

The BI also announced the arrests of four other foreign fugitives.

Shalabi Nidal Mohd Suleiman (53), a Jordanian national, was arrested in Davao Oriental. He was wanted in Dubai for allegedly stealing EUR 110,000  and AED 200,000 from his former employer.

Wei Xiaofeng (28), a Chinese fugitive, was apprehended in Makati City. He is accused of using illegal equipment to invade victims’ privacy by secretly recording them with hidden cameras installed in hotels. Wei allegedly distributed these recordings via a Telegram account.

Chen  Chi-Yin (32) and Huang Chun Fu (31), Taiwanese nationals, were arrested in Pasay City. Both are reportedly members of the Bamboo Triad syndicate, accused of involvement in large-scale firearms and drug  smuggling in Taiwan.

BI Commissioner Joel Viado emphasized the agency’s commitment to upholding national security by cooperating with foreign law enforcement.

“Our close coordination with foreign counterparts led to the arrest of these fugitives," Viado said in a statement. "The Philippines is not a sanctuary for wanted foreign criminals. They will be deported, blacklisted, and perpetually banned  from re-entering the country for being undesirable aliens.” — DVM, GMA Integrated News