Taiwanese fugitive deported

Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez ordered yesterday the deportation of a Taiwanese wanted in his home country for large-scale fraud.

Rodriguez identified the fugitive as Chen Yung Chi, 59, who works at a Taiwanese firm operating at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority in Rosario, Cavite.

Rodriguez said he ordered the deportation of Chen following his arrest by immigration intelligence agents inside his office at the Tang Fong Industrial Co. of the economic zone compound.

The immigration chief also said the Taiwanese had become an undocumented alien after the cancellation of his passport by the Taiwanese government last August.

Arresting immigration officers reported that a certain David Chen and his wife, identified as Imelda Go, tried to prevent them from serving the warrant on Chen who attempted to evade arrest by hiding in one of the rooms in the building.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Manila said Chen has been wanted by the Taipei police since September 1996.

TECO also disclosed that a warrant for Chen’s arrest was issued by a Taiwanese court when he was charged with estafa. He fled to Manila to avoid arrest and prosecution, Rodriguez said.– Rey Arquiza