Korean fugitive who escaped three times recaptured

MANILA, Philippines - A Korean fugitive who has escaped three times was recaptured by joint personnel of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) over the weekend.

Cho Seongdae, 49, was turned over to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation on orders of Justice Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, according to NBI special task force chief Peter Chan Lugay.

Authorities said Cho was first arrested on Sept. 11 and was taken to a hospital after complaining of difficulty in breathing. But he was able to escape from his escorts.

He was recaptured on Sept. 29 but managed to escape again from the BI detention facility in Taguig after he allegedly gave a P1-million bribe to the jail guards.

On Oct. 12, Cho was recaptured in Pampanga and held at the ISAFP jail. He was able to escape for the third time on Oct. 21.

The Korean was recaptured in Pagsanjan, Laguna on Sunday.

Caguioa has ordered the NBI to investigate how Cho managed to escape thrice, Lugay said.

The BI said Cho is wanted for an extortion case in South Korea. He is also facing charges of robbery and extortion in Cavite.