6 KOREANS SKIP TRIAL, FACE ARREST

Judge Himalaluan orders arrest of 6 Koreans for failing to attend arraignment last December for illegal numbers game operation

Judge James Stewart Ramon Himalaluan has ordered the arrest of six South Koreans for their failure to attend their arraignment in December last year.

Himalaluan issued a bench warrant after the six Koreans did not appear in court during their trial for an illegal numbers game.

The six accused Koreans are Lee Su Bin, Park Sun Woo, Yang Dong Uk, Kim Dae Seong, Kim Jeong Wook, and Eo Hyun Jun.

“They were already forewarned in the order dated Dec. 5, 2017 that if they will not appear in the next setting, the court shall order the confiscation of their cash bond and the issuance of a bench warrant of arrest,” read Himalaluan’s order.

Police arrested the accused and three other Koreans for operating an online gambling ring inside a rented house in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City last Sept. 8, 2017.

The three other Koreans are Kim Bum Yeon, Kang Ming Kuk, and Kang Shingyeom, who were arrested based on the warrant.

Citizen’s tip

Operatives of the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) 7 conducted surveillance of their rented house for two months after receiving tips from concerned citizens that Koreans were allegedly operating illegal online betting games.

Judge Jerry Dicdican of Regional Trial Court Branch 25 then issued the search warrant on the house rented by the accused.

Police also seized several computers , monitors, and processing servers during the raid. After the six Koreans failed to attend their arraignment, Judge Himalaloan ordered that their cash bond of P24,000 each be confiscated in favor of the judiciary.

On the other hand, the pre-trial of the case against Koreans Kim Bum Yeon, Kang Ming Kuk, and Kang Shingyeom, who had pleaded not guilty, is set on July 27, 2018. /