2 Koreans charged for supplying ‘mail-order brides’

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed criminal charges Friday against two Korean nationals and four Filipino women allegedly engaged in supplying “mail-order brides” to Korea.

Regional Director Vicente de Guzman III of the NBI-Special Action Unit (SAU) said they filed charges against Seung Han Lee and Moo Hwan Lee, both temporarily billeted at the Milyang Hotel and Restaurant located at Valdez Street in San Miguel Village, Makati City.

They also recommended for prosecution Susana Obano of Pasig City; Girlie Alayon of Taytay, Rizal; Jane Mahusay of Silang, Cavite; and a certain Marlene Ambasan.

The NBI charged the six suspects with violating Republic Act 6955, which prohibits supplying Filipino women as mail-order brides to foreign nationals, before the Makati City prosecutor’s office.

Special Investigator IV Isaac Carpeso Jr. said the syndicate often recruits women between ages 19 to 29 years old. The woman’s family is paid P100,00 if she is chosen as a “bride.” Of this amount, the “talent manager” gets a P20,000 cut.

Initial investigation showed that on April 17, the 300th Air Intelligence and Security Group of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) received a call from a Filipina who was married to a Korean national and was now living in Korea. She asked for assistance, complaining that she was being beaten by her Korean husband.

She also informed them about the modus operandi being run by a group of Korean nationals and their Filipino counterparts, such as Ambasan.

 Ambasan, Carpeso said in his report, is a “Filipino who recruits and entices young Filipino women in order to be matched for marriage with other visiting Korean nationals through ‘audition’ and personal introduction.” In return, they would be promised brighter futures in Korea.

The PAF decided to coordinate with the NBI-SAU, who conducted surveillance and planned an entrapment operation.

 Carpeso said they learned that the women were introduced, interviewed and were selected based on their physical attributes. The interview was done inside the Lees’ room in Milyang Hotel. The chosen ones were escorted to a rented van and brought to an undisclosed area where they would be matched for marriage with other visiting Korean nationals.

Once a deal was sealed, a civil wedding ceremony would be arranged.  On May 28, the suspects were unaware that one of the girls they presented before the Korean suspects was a female NBI agent, who called for backup after confirming their illegal operations.

The joint NBI and PAF team apprehended the five suspects and brought them to the NBI head office. Ambasan eluded arrest. – Evelyn Macairan