Executive Summary
- Two South Korean nationals escaped the Bureau of Immigration Warden’s Facility in Muntinlupa City using a rope.
- The fugitives are identified as Lee Jingyu and Yang Heejun, both subjects of Interpol Red Notices.
- Lee is wanted for drug trafficking and assault, while Yang is wanted for burglary and theft.
- The facility was placed on lockdown following the discovery of the breach during a routine inspection.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the Philippines has initiated an intensive nationwide manhunt following the escape of two South Korean nationals from the BI Warden’s Facility (BIWF) in Muntinlupa City. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado confirmed on Thursday that the agency is coordinating closely with local law enforcement to locate the individuals, identified as Lee Jingyu, 32, and Yang Heejun, 44, both of whom are subjects of Interpol Red Notices.
According to official reports, the escape was discovered during a routine inspection by the facility’s custodial force team. Personnel found a rope tied to the rear portion of a ward gate, prompting an immediate headcount. The inspection revealed that Lee and Yang were unaccounted for. In response, security personnel placed the facility under total lockdown and conducted a comprehensive search of the perimeter sections.
Commissioner Viado stated that Lee Jingyu had been arrested by the BI Fugitive Search Unit in Pasay City on November 17. He is wanted by South Korean authorities for alleged drug smuggling, specifically orchestrating the trafficking of approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine in early 2024. Authorities noted that Lee has prior criminal convictions, including aggravated assault, and faces deportation charges for being an undesirable and overstaying alien.
Yang Heejun was apprehended in Angeles City, Pampanga, in 2022 and is wanted in South Korea for burglary, theft, and related offenses. While detained at the BIWF pending deportation proceedings, Yang was reportedly implicated in an attempted drug smuggling incident inside the detention facility in 2022. The Bureau of Immigration has labeled both men as high-risk due to the nature of their alleged offenses.
Security Oversight and Public Safety
The escape of two high-profile foreign fugitives from a secure holding facility highlights significant operational vulnerabilities within the detention infrastructure. The method of escape—utilizing a rope at a ward gate—suggests potential lapses in perimeter surveillance and routine monitoring protocols. As the manhunt intensifies, the primary focus for law enforcement will be securing port exits to prevent the subjects from leaving the archipelago, while simultaneously investigating internal security measures to prevent recurrence. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
