Airport and Pasay City authorities are investigating the case of a South Korean national who was found dead inside a restroom at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport – Terminal 3 Thursday night.
They are trying to determine if there was a foul play in the death of Sang Kwan An, 50, which airport personnel initially claimed, was a case of suicide. Sang allegedly hanged himself using a brown bag strap tied to the door hook of a restroom cubicle.
Ed Monreal, general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, said Sang was found lifeless around 7:30 p.m. by a cleaner identified as Michelle Ann Ocampo who routinely made a check of all the comfort rooms of the Naia Terminal 3 Immigration Exclusion Room.
Before he was found dead at the airport, Sang was about to be deported Friday morning for his alleged involvement in an investment scam in South Korea, according to Monreal.
The Bureau of Immigration held Sang after he arrived in Manila from Taiwan Thursday morning where authorities planned to send him back to Seoul.Ӭ
The South Korean lived for quite a while in Davao with his Filipina partner and was able to get a Philippine driver’s license.
Immigration officials gave Sang a clearance at the Naia Terminal 3 on July 19 when he flew to Taipei.
But when he returned to Manila aboard Cebu Pacific Air flight 5J311, the Immigration agents barred him from entry. His name suddenly appeared at the BI’s database who was on the list of wanted person in South Korea. “¨
The South Korean embassy requested the Philippine authorities to detain Sang.Ӭ
Immigration agents brought Sang to the immigration exclusion room under guard by the airline security pending for the clearance of his travel documents.
Witnesses noticed that while he was there, Sang was seen fidgety and later went to the comfort room for call of nature.
Authorities could not determine of how long Sang spend his time inside the comfort room.
The MIAA is now closely coordinating with the Pasay City police department for a thorough investigation of the case. The police will initially invite airport and immigration personnel to shed light on the matter.
