An overstaying Liberian who allegedly assaulted and extorted a Filipina and a South Korean who is wanted in his country have been arrested in Metro Manila by agents of the Bureau of Immigration's Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU).

Immigration Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco identified the arrested foreigners as South Korean Choe Young Sam, 45, and Liberian Abundo Nual Johnson, 35.

BI said that Choe is now in the custody of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) while Johnson is with PNP’s National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

It said that Choe was arrested after receiving information from South Korean police that “he is subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Wonnju branch of the of the Chuncheon district court in South Korea last year.”

 “An Interpol (International Police Crime Organization) red notice was also issued against the Korean in October last year due to a case of aggravated punishment, economic crimes and embezzlement that was lodged against him before the said court,” it said. 

 “Korean authorities alleged that Choe and his accomplices embezzled over 4.6 billion won, or more than US$3.4 million, worth of medical reimbursements when he headed a financial team in Korea’s national health insurance program in 2004,” it also said. 

In the case of Johnson, the BI said that based on information from the NCRPO and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), “the Liberian allegedly locked a Filipino woman in his apartment and sexually assaulted her.”

 “The victim, whose identity was withheld, also stated in her verified complaint that Johnson extorted over P100,000 from her,” it said. 

The BI also said that “the Liberian is already an overstaying and illegally staying alien in the country as his student visa already expired in July last year.”