The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday praised the Philippine government for deporting a Taiwanese suspect in a fraud case to Taiwan rather than China, where 14 Taiwanese suspects in an unrelated fraud case had been sent early last month.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer yesterday reported that the suspect, Huang Yu-ping (黃玉平), 30, had boarded China Airlines Flight 704 at about 4pm, escorted by three Taiwanese police officers.
In response, the ministry said in a statement that Huang’s case showed Manila did not follow a so-called “one China” policy in handling cases involving Taiwanese suspects.
Manila has made a vital and positive step forward in cooperating with Taipei to clamp down on cross-border crimes, the ministry said, adding that Taiwan was determined to work with the global community to combat crime syndicates.
The Inquirer said Huang, a fugitive in Taiwan, was arrested by the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation in Quezon City on Dec. 22 along with 28 Taiwanese who had been released by the bureau.
The previously captured 14 Taiwanese were extradited to China on Feb. 2 despite a temporary restraining order Taipei had obtained.
The case sparked a row between Taipei and Manila, with Taiwan imposing several measures including more rigorous screening of Filipinos’ applications to work in Taiwan, while Manila, citing ongoing investigations, has refused to apologize.
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