Up for deportation, Korean is freed

A KOREAN businessman convicted in 2014 for violation of the antibouncing check law and scheduled for deportation was released on Friday night by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on the order of newly appointed Justice Secretary Benjamin Caguioa, according to BI officials.

Lawyer Alex Tan who has been pushing for the deportation of Kang Tae-sik said the “sudden release of Kang was suspicious and highly irregular because he was released without a written order.”

Based on the records of the BI jail in Bicutan, Kang was released at around 9:55 p.m. on Nov. 6 without a written order to the jail warden.

BI spokesperson Elaine Tan said Kang was released to the custody of his counsel as soon as they received the order and verbal instruction to release him on the same evening.

“In a memorandum from Secretary Benjamin Caguioa dated Nov. 6, 2015, BI was ordered to desist from executing the appealed BOC (board of commissioners) resolutions to recall the warrant of deportation issued last Oct. 20, 2015, against Kang Tae-sik and immediately release him from detention,” the BI spokesperson said in a statement.

She added that BI immediately complied with the order upon receipt of the instruction of the new Justice Secretary.

Based on immigration records, Kang had prevented deportation proceedings against him several times.

But lawyer Alex Tan said he would question the release of Kang based on existing immigration laws.

“This is what we fear, that unseen hands will again prevent his deportation,” he said.

Kang was apprehended at his office in Makati City on Oct. 28, 2015, on the strength of a Warrant of Deportation based on a resolution dated Sept. 16, 2015.

He was ordered deported for violation of Immigration Act for having been convicted on two counts of antibouncing check law.

Based on the resolution of the BI’s board of commissioners dated Aug. 15, 2015, Kang was found guilty and sentenced to jail for violation of the Batas Pambansa Blg. 22.