Bureau of Immigration to Deport Two Foreign Fugitives Captured in the Philippines

Manila – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Friday that two foreign nationals, apprehended in separate operations in Manila and Pampanga, are set for deportation to face criminal charges in their respective countries.

According to Philippines News Agency, the individuals identified as Lee Yeonghak, a 44-year-old from South Korea, and Stan Ray Hudgins, a 63-year-old American, were captured by the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) on the strength of mission orders requested by South Korean and US authorities.

Lee was arrested on Maria Orosa Street in Ermita, Manila, while Hudgins was detained in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Both are considered undesirable aliens and undocumented following the cancellation of their passports by their home countries. They are currently detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, awaiting deportation proceedings.

Rendel Ryan Sy, acting chief of the BI-FSU, detailed the charges against the individuals. Lee is wanted in Seoul for his involvement in illegal online gaming operations, accused of establishing gambling sites on the internet with a syndicate head, generating profits of approximately 90 billion won, or USD 67 million. Hudgins faces an arrest warrant from a family court in Richard County, South Carolina, for non-payment of child support and is described in intelligence reports as armed and dangerous.

In a related incident, the BI intercepted two human trafficking victims at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, who were attempting to travel to Oman using fake documents purchased on Facebook. The victims, a 51-year-old male and a 30-year-old female, claimed to be visiting their spouses, alleged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Arab region. However, inconsistencies in their statements and documents led to a secondary inspection where they admitted to buying marriage certificates from fixers on Facebook. They were instructed to pose as tourists sponsored by their fake spouses and were promised jobs in Oman with a monthly salary of only 250 Riyals.