Korean diplomat seeks fugitive’s deportation

MANILA, Philippines - A Korean diplomat has asked the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) to facilitate the deportation of a Korean man, wanted for drug trafficking in Incheon, who was arrested for beating his wife and taking his child hostage earlier this month.

Police attaché Park Yong Jeung wrote QCPD director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano, requesting the QCPD to coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration for the deportation of Lee Man Kwon, whose summary deportation order was issued on June 6.

Park also revealed that Lee was arrested on Aug. 17 after he left Hyatt Hotel in Manila without paying his bill. “He was later released by the police as Hyatt did not pursue the complaint,” the letter stated.

A court in Incheon issued a warrant for Lee’s arrest in 2011 for allegedly masterminding the smuggling of drugs from the Philippines to Guam. Lee’s alleged accomplices were arrested at the Incheon airport in December 2011.

QCPD deputy director for administration Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao said Lee has been in the country for about two years before his arrest on Aug. 20 for taking his child hostage at the family home in Fairview.

QCPD deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana said they received information that Lee was reportedly a “casino financier” and had been supplying drugs to those gambling at casinos.