DOJ indicts BI execs over flight of Korean fugitive

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed charges against officials of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for the issuance of a working visa to and the flight of fugitive Korean Park Sun-jun.

BI personnel Augustus Caesar Morales and Ma. Roselle Sacendoncillo and Department of Transportation and Communications-Office of Transportation Security (DOTC-OTC) officer Fernando Pedrajas were charged with bribery and violations of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Section 3 (a) of RA 3019 before the Pasay City regional trial court in connection with Park’s flight.

The DOJ agreed with the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) fact-finding team that Morales, Sacendoncillo and Pedrajas knew that Park was included in the blacklist even prior to his actual departure.

“Respondents Morales, Sacendoncillo and Pedrajas connived with each other to deliberately facilitate the escape of Park, a fugitive, in consideration of a certain amount of money,” the DOJ said.

It noted that the conspiracy between Morales, Sacendoncillo and Pedrajas was proven by the closed-circuit television video at the airport as presented by the DOJ-NBI fact-finding team.

The DOJ said the NBI also established that Morales, Sacendoncillo and Pedrajas committed direct bribery. It noted that Sacendoncillo admitted receiving P10,000 from Morales to facilitate the release of Park.

“Agreeing to escort Park inside the airport and to allow Park to leave the country despite the blacklisting of the latter, in consideration of money, constitutes direct bribery,” the DOJ said.

Park bought his ticket just hours before his flight, checked in late, and got on the Philippine Airlines flight with a stamped boarding pass.

His departure from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at around 1 a.m. on March 19 was not registered in the immigration database and only discovered in the flight manifest.

Korean authorities at the Incheon International Airport in Seoul intercepted Park, who is wanted in South Korea over an investment scam.

Park’s working visa

BI law and investigation division (LID) chief Arvin Santos and BI officer Jing Oliver Balina were charged before a Manila RTC with violation of Section 3 (j) of RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for the grant of an employment visa to Park even though he was a subject of summary deportation order.