5 Koreans nabbed for online casino

MANILA, Philippines - Five Koreans were arrested for allegedly illegally operating an online casino in Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday.

NBI Director Nonnatus Rojas identified them as Naryun Kim, Yunhee Hwang, Seyoung Chung, Wonseok Yang, and Hoi Cherl Yang.

The NBI slapped them with charges of violating Republic Act 9287, a law penalizing illegal numbers games, and RA 8484 or the Access Device Regulations Act of 1998. The cases were filed before the Muntinlupa City prosecutor’s office.

The Koreans were arrested Monday based on a complaint filed by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO).

NBI National Capital Region head Elfren Meneses Jr. said the TECO wrote his office last June “complaining of the continuous operations of international telephone fraud in the Philippines, and sought investigation on the matter.”

Further investigation showed that several Taiwanese and Korean nationals were involved in fraudulent telephone operations in Alabang, the NBI said.

A technician who helped set up the suspects’ computers gave the NBI their location and other information, including the name of Bao Shiao-Yu, the alleged syndicate leader.

Upon inspection, NBI agents saw intertwined telephone cables attached to house in Ayala, Alabang.

Armed with a search warrant issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 24, the NBI raided the house and allegedly saw the suspects operating an online casino without the necessary permit.

The Koreans were detained at the NBI jail.