Korean national wanted for carjacking

Police are hunting down a Korean national whose house yielded at least five stolen vehicles during a raid in Cavite over the weekend.

The suspect, Jong Jae Kim, was not around when joint elements of the Calabarzon police, Highway Patrol Group and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) conducted the raid in his house at Purok 4, Barangay Puting Kahoy, Silang town.

The raiders were armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Emma Young, of the Cavite Regional Trial Court Branch 18 and the raid was witnessed by barangay officials and the suspects’ father, Kim Sang Gi.

The raid resulted in the seizure of a stolen Mitsubishi Adventure (ZAM 385).

The vehicle is registered in the name of Joel Dona Diasnes of Ilaya 2nd, Dumangas, Iloilo and was reported stolen on July 20, 2007 at 31 Maroon Street, Bonita Homes, Concepcion, Marikina.

Three more vehicles kept at the house of the suspect were brought to Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba City for verification. These were a Hyundai Starex (RDU-564) which has spurious documents, a BMW (XAN-751) and a KIA Wrecker with plate number (WMF-386).

A follow-up operation at the New Start Resort in Los Baños town yielded a Hyundai Starex GRX with plate number ZHJ 78 which was listed in the HPG’s hold order document.

Senior Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, Calabarzon Highway Patrol regional director said all the vehicles are listed in the alarm sheet of the HPG and reported stolen.

Police are set to file carnapping charges against the suspect before Young’s chamber.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad is presently coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration for the issuance of a hold departure order against the suspect.

 Korean nationals reported to be involved in criminal activities in the country are not something new.

There are 86,800 registered Korean residents in the Philippines as of 2007 accounting for 15 percent of all foreign visitors in the country.

In 2008, Korean tourist arrivals reached 650,000, up from only 26,000 in 1992.

Last month, the Bureau of Immigration ordered the deportation of four Koreans who are wanted for various crimes ranging from kidnapping, swindling, embezzlement and fraud in their country.