Immigration Returns Filipino Citizen Fugitive Interpol

Plt. Director General of Immigration Saffar M. Godam (left) during a press conference at the Office of the Directorate General of Immigration, Jakarta, Tuesday. (ANTARA/Fath Putra Mulya)

JAKARTA - Directorate General of Immigration, Ministry of Immigration and Corrections together with the National Police's International Relations Division repatriated a foreign citizen from the Philippines, Hector Aldwin Pantollana (HAP), who became an Interpol fugitive for fleeing the prosecution process.

HAP is suspected of committing a criminal act of fraud (scamming) and a casino in his country. HAP will be repatriated to the Philippines on Wednesday (27/11) to continue the legal responsibility process for the crimes he committed.

"HAP is a fugitive from the Philippines National Police related to the fugitious wanted for prosecution, meaning that approximately the person concerned is a fugitive who escaped from the prosecution process in his country, in this case the Philippines," said Plt. Director General of Immigration Saffar M. Godam reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, November 26.

Godam explained that HAP's arrest began when the Directorate General of Immigration received information from the Philippine Bureau of Investigation on October 31, 2024, which concerned traveled to Indonesia.

The Directorate General of Immigration immediately followed up on this information. Based on crossing data, further information was obtained that HAP had actually passed through Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali on October 10, 2024.

Furthermore, on November 4, 2024, the Directorate General of Immigration immediately prevented HAP from detecting movement if the person concerned would leave Indonesia through an airport or other gate.

HAP was detected to be leaving for Hong Kong via Ngurah Rai Airport on November 9, 2024. The Directorate General of Immigration then succeeded in preventing the fugitive's departure.

"After that, officers from the Directorate General of Immigration secured the person concerned and brought him to Jakarta with the aim of facilitating coordination with police colleagues, in this case NCB Interpol and the Philippine Embassy in Indonesia," Godam added.

The Philippine government then sent a letter to the Directorate General of Immigration of the Republic of Indonesia asking that HAP be repatriated. The return of the suspect to his home country, explained Godam, can be done because it is regulated in Article 75 paragraph (3) of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration.

"Then, on November 13, 2024, we handed over many times with Interpol and we are too synergized to deal with fugitives in Indonesia like this," said Godam.

Godam said regarding HAP's return to the Philippines on Wednesday (27/11) tomorrow, the Philippine Police were on standby represented by the Immigration Attache at the Philippine Embassy for Indonesia.