The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) refuted claims that the deportation of accused Filipino scammer Hector Aldwin Liao Pantollana from Indonesia to the Philippines was part of a “prisoner exchange” deal.
“Pantollana’s arrest is the result of good relations between the Philippines and the Indonesian National Police,” according to PNP-CIDG Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III.
The 35-year-old man, who was apprehended in Indonesia for his role in a billion-peso investment scam, was returned to the Philippines to face charges and ensure justice for his victims.
Torre emphasized that the Indonesian government did not request any reciprocal arrangements or individuals in exchange for Pantollana’s deportation.
This development follows the Philippines’ recent deportation of an Indonesian fugitive involved in scam operations, who was arrested at a suspected Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Bataan.
Torre also clarified that the PNP has not received any formal communication suggesting a prisoner exchange between the two nations.
