Detained Koreans sue NBI, BI

MANILA, Philippines—A civil case questioning the detention of seven Korean nationals who are facing deportation was filed Thursday in the Manila Regional Trial Court against officials of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

In particular, the Koreans’ lawyer, Tristram Zoleta, filed a petition for habeas corpus with a request to stop the deportation of his clients who, according to him, remain detained despite a release order issued by the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office.

Named in the case were Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David; Antonette Mangrobang, acting BI intelligence division chief; Jerry de Guzman of the BI intelligence division; immigration jail warden Protacio Arcilla; Ross Jonathan Galicia, chief of the NBI-RAID [Reaction, Arrest and Interdiction Division]; and NBI-RAID agent Jerome Bomediano.

Based on court records, NBI-RAID agents arrested on August 30 Cho Yong Beom, Kim Yong Gyeom, Nwang Jae Hoon, Jung Min Hyeok, Choi Hyeok, Young Sung Hoon and Kim Jin Dong in Pasig City based on reports that they were operating an online gambling business without a permit.

The Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office, however, ordered their release for further investigation the following day on grounds that their arrest was unlawful.

Zoleta said the release order was served on the NBI at 10 p.m. on August 31 but an NBI-RAID agent refused to receive it and told him and the process server to return on Monday.

He added, however, that on Monday, Galicia turned over his clients to the BI for possible violation of immigration laws. De Guzman, on the other hand, claimed that David had issued a commitment order although he failed to show a copy.