BI arrests alleged accomplice in killing of Korean businessman last year

September 20, 2017

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the arrest of an overstaying Korean accused as an accomplice in last year’s kidnapping and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ik Joo, allegedly by members of the police anti-kidnapping group.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said  Edward Yoo Hoon, 33, is at the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City following his arrest last Monday by operatives from the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU).

Morente said the agents were armed with a warrant of deportation when they arrived at Hoon’s house along Forest Street, Carmenville Subd. in Angeles City, Pampanga.

He added he signed the deportation warrant pursuant to a summary deportation order that the BI Board of Commissioners issued against the Korean in January 2013 for being an overstaying alien.

“It appears that he (Hoon) had been staying in the country for more than 10 years already because according to the deportation order he became an overstaying and undocumented alien on Jan. 25, 2008,” Morente said.

Morente said Hoon will not be deported yet as he will undergo thorough investigation for his reported involvement in the Oct. 30, 2016 abduction and murder of Jee.

“He will be deported only after he has served his sentence, if convicted, of the crime,” the BI chief explained.

Jee, according to investigators, was later strangled to death by his captors in Camp Crame, Quezon City where he was brought hours after he was kidnapped by the suspects in Angeles City.

Bobby Raquepo, BI-FSU chief, said Hoon was tagged as a person of interest in the Jee case after informants claimed he arranged the payoff of the P5-million ransom money the victim’s wife gave the kidnappers.

Raquepo said Hoon is the subject of an immigration lookout bulletin  the BI issued on Jan. 28 this year pursuant to a directive from Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. DMS