PASG, Bureau of Immigration recapture alleged diamond smuggler

MANILA, Philippines - After she allegedly went into hiding over the weekend, the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) rearrested a British national on charges of smuggling P500 million worth of jewelry and precious stones into the country.

PASG operatives, led by chief of staff Jeffrey Patawaran and director for intelligence Guillermo Francia, and BI-Law Enforcement Division (BI-LED) agents escorted Kwok Siu Ting, also known as Alpha Kwok, to the BI head office yesterday afternoon.

Kwok was presented to the media following reports that she fled the country with the help of immigration officials. She refused to issue any comment to the media yesterday.

In a press conference, Patawaran said they have filed charges of smuggling and violating the country’s tariff and customs law before the Department of Justice last Friday.

BI Associate Commissioner Roy Almoro also said that once they obtain clearance from the court, she would be deported back to Hong Kong, a former Crown colony.

BI records showed that Kwok has been going in and out of the country for the past 17 years and that since 2002 she was issued a quota visa, meaning that she is considered as a permanent resident of the country provided that she abides by the laws of the land.

In order to be given a quota visa, a foreigner must have between $40,000 to $70,000 in his or her bank account.

Inconsistencies

Patawaran told reporters they used a search warrant issued by Manila City Regional Trial Court Branch 29 Judge Cielito Mindaro-Grulla to raid Kwok’s Pacific Place condominium unit in Pasig City.

In previous interviews, the PASG reported that its agents found 10 diamonds hidden in Kwok’s brassiere when they conducted a body search during a raid last Aug. 11.

Patawaran admitted they only arrested Kwok yesterday since they were only armed with a search warrant when they conducted the raid.

Francia said Kwok was allowed to leave since her lawyers assured them they would bring her back the next day, but Patawaran said Kwok “went into hiding last Friday.”

A law enforcement official from another agency, who requested anonymity, said the PASG could have made a mistake because since the subject was in the room where the contraband was found, there were grounds for them to arrest her.

Patawaran said Kwok would not have been able to get out of the country since they asked the BI to include her on its watchlist last Aug. 12.

He said they arrested Kwok at her condominium unit using a mission order issued by BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan.

Patawaran said the mission order was issued Monday, but a copy obtained by the media showed it was issued only yesterday. The order also bore two different addresses: 17 Pelican street in Greenmeadows Subdivision, Quezon City; and 134 Sampaguita street in Valle Verde, Pasig City.

Patawaran said they had been conducting an inventory of the diamonds, loose stones and jewelry at Kwok’s condominium unit in full view of representatives from Kwok, the administration building, barangay officials, and PASG. 

“We want it properly done in doing the inventory. We don’t want to be blamed if any of the jewelry goes missing,” he added.

He said they needed to conduct an inventory because it was a requirement in returning the search warrant to the Branch 29. So far, they have only completed 10 percent of the inventory. “It is taking us time to complete the inventory because we are checking loose diamonds and several pieces of jewelry.”

This is not the first time the PASG was accused of letting a suspect go scot-free. The agency was also blamed for the disappearance of suspected shabu smuggler Anthony “Anton” Ang in May last year.