The Bureau of Immigration arrested two foreign fugitives who were wanted in the United States and China for sexual offense and economic crimes, respectively—in what authorities described as part of the agency’s intensified drive against foreign criminals.
The American fugitive, identified as Stacey Thomas, was arrested at the Bagong Buwan Teresa Heights in Fairview, Quezon City—wanted by federal authorities in Texas for being a sex offender.
In a separate operation, the BI nabbed Jiang Houlong in Pasay City who is wanted by Chinese police for economic crimes.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said Thomas was arrested at the request of the US Embassy in Manila which sought his deportation to the US so he could stand trial for his crime.
Houlong, on the other hand, had been hiding in the Philippines for embezzling millions of dollars through bogus investments.
Thomas is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a US District Court in Western Texas where he was charged with the crime of abusive sexual contact, an offense akin to sexual assault.
Official sources said Thomas had been on the FBI’s wanted list since July 2010 when the court warrant was issued.
BI intelligence officer Bobby Raquepo, who heads the bureau’s fugitive search unit, said Thomas was an undocumented alien due to the cancellation of his passport by the US government.
He added the American had fled to the Philippines in August 2010, barely a month after the arrest warrant against him was issued.
Both Thomas and Houlong were detained at the BI detention facility in Taguig City pending their deportation.
