James Reid, Liza Soberano, Jeffrey Oh
Updated 6 A.M., August 9
The Bureau of Immigration has confirmed the detention of Jeffrey Oh, CEO of independent record label Careless and career manager of now US-based actress Liza Soberano.
The confirmation was made by Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval during an episode of “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” on Tuesday, August 8, following reports of Oh’s arrest in Makati last week.
Sought for comment, Sandoval shared a report with INQUIRER.net saying that the 34-year-old Oh was arrested in Barangay Poblacion in Makati last July 28 for purportedly “engaging in gainful employment” without having the required documents to operate a business in the country.
“A complaint lodged with the BI reported the American [Oh] to have presented himself as the CEO of a Manila-based company, as well as the owner of several restaurants, without acquiring the necessary visas or permits,” the report said, adding that this violates Philippine immigration laws.
According to Abunda, quoting Sandoval, Oh’s detention stemmed from his failure to produce proper documents relative to his alien work permit, which are needed before he could work in the Philippines.
Oh, according to a previous pronouncement of the Department of Trade and Industry, is a New York-based Korean-American. He is a business partner of Careless CEO President James Reid.
His arrest was first reported by showbiz columnist Cristy Fermin, who also said that he might be subject to deportation proceedings after immigration personnel received reports that he has been operating his business sans work permit.
“Kinumpirma sa amin ni Dana Sandoval, ang spokesperson ng Bureau of Immigration, na totoo po ang lumabas na reports nitong nakaraang linggo na inaresto ng mga awtoridad ang 34-year-old business partner ni James Reid na si Jeffrey Oh dahil wala diumano itong work permit sa bansa,” said Abunda.
“Si Jeffrey Oh ay isang Korean-American CEO ng Careless Entertainment, ang kompanya na itinatag nila ni James. Nagma-may-ari rin siya ng mga restaurants at isang club lounge sa Makati,” the TV host further said.
(Dana Sandoval, the spokesperson of the Bureau of Immigration, confirmed the truth of last week’s reports that Jeffrey Oh, James Reid’s 34-year-old business partner, was arrested due to lack of work permits in the country… Jeffrey Oh is a Korean-American CEO of Careless Entertainment, a company that he put up together with James. He also owns several restaurants and a club lounge in Makati. Jeffrey.)
Abunda then revealed that his team requested to find out who filed the complaint before the BI, but Sandoval declined to comment.
Oh’s detention aligns with Fermin’s claims last July 31, though the BI has not confirmed her claims that it was Reid’s father who called the attention of immigration agents to the foreigner’s case.
Careless has yet to issue a statement about the Korean-American businessman’s arrest and detention, when INQUIRER.net asked for a comment on the matter.
Aside from Reid and Soberano, the label is also home to Issa Pressman. EDV