South Korean fugitive names two Filipinos as accomplices

A South Korean fugitive named Na Ik-hyeon claimed that two Filipinos helped him escape from detention in the Philippines. He made the allegations during a Senate hearing on justice and human rights. The two Filipinos are identified only as "Raul" and "Paul." Na, who is wanted in South Korea for fraud, said he paid P8 million to a fellow Korean and an additional P6 million to Raul and Paul for their assistance. He suggested that Raul claimed to be a member of the Philippine National Police and Paul said he worked for the Bureau of Immigration (BI). BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that they do not recognize anyone by those names. He also mentioned that they are investigating photos of individuals involved in Na’s escape but have not been able to identify them. Na was arrested on May 31, 2023, while awaiting deportation for a separate fraud case. His deportation was postponed due to legal matters. The BI had previously reported that Na escaped during a hearing on March 4, where he was supposed to be present.