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The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed that the suspect arrested in Manila late last month is the wanted Taiwanese fugitive who was first arrested in 1989.

He was identified as Frank Chua, 86, who claimed that he is Tsai Rong Chang. He was arrested in a law enforcement operation in Sampaloc, Manila last July 28, 2022.

Chua's identity was confirmed through fingerprint examination which was matched with his fingerprint taken when he was arrested while using different identities.

According to the NBI, Chua was first arrested in 1989 together other suspects for smuggling 58 kilograms of shabu in Ilocos Sur.

"On March 22, 1990, all the accused escaped from Vigan Provincial Jail. Trial in absentia ensued and on October 7, 1994, the court found Chua and all other accused guilty of the charge against them and sentenced them to suffer the penalty of Reclusion Perpetua or Life imprisonment," it stated.

Chua was again arrested by the operatives of NBI-Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force and NBI ? Olongapo District Office on July 4, 2003 at Ding Ho Restaurant, Subic Bay Freeport Zone where he use the name Tsai Jung Shui.

"Shui's fingerprint was compared to Chua’s fingerprint record, retrieved from the Provincial Jail of Vigan, Ilocos Sur. NBI operatives discovered that the two fingerprints are identical to each other hence, he was thereafter turned over to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), where he again escaped in 2004," said NBI.

"Comparative examination. conducted by the NBI-Dactyloscopy Division on the fingerprints taken when he was arrested by the NBI in the year 2003, fingerprints taken at the Bureau of Corrections in September 2003; and fingerprints taken from subject after he was arrested by the NBI-TFAID on July 28, 2022, confirmed that Frank Chua, Tsai Jung Shui, and Tsai Rong Chang are one and the same person," he added.

Chua who is under the custody of the NBI will be turned over to the Bureau of Correction in New Bilibid Prison (NBP). Robina Asido/DMS