Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla yesterday presided over the deportation of two Japanese nationals whose cases have been dismissed by a Philippine court.
Remulla also ordered an accounting of all cases involving alien fugitives in the country to ensure they are not “contrived” charges filed to stop their deportation.
Kiyoto Imamura and Toshiya Fujita were put under heavy guard by the Japanese police as they flew out of Manila via Japan Airlines flight JL746 at 9:40 a.m.
The deportation came a day ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s own trip to Japan today for an official working visit until 12 February.
Imamura, Fujita and two other Japanese nationals detained at the Bureau of Immigration in Taguig City allegedly directed robberies in Japan through the use of encrypted smartphone apps.
“Nine of the total 16 Japanese police will escort Imamura and Fujita to Japan and the others will remain to await the deportation of the two other Japanese fugitives,” Remulla said.
The other day, Branch 116 of the Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court dismissed the case against Fujita after the Department of Justice filed a motion to withdraw the criminal information on 31 January.
Remulla said there are other cases pending against foreign nationals, adding that he would order an accounting of all the cases against fugitives of all nationalities.
“We deported earlier two Chinese nationals who were also fugitives, so we will work to address the matter,” he said.
Historical
“Today is historical in some ways as these four fugitives have been the subjects of warrants of arrest as well as deportation requests since 2019. To provide context, when this was brought to our attention last 27 January we knew little about the case,” Remulla said.
It was in another press conference, he said, that a Japanese reporter asked him about the status of the case against “Luffy,” the alias of a wanted criminal in Japan who was being held in the Philippines.
Upon checking, Remulla said he learned of the cases of the four Japanese detainees who were wanted in their homeland.
“Luffy” turned out to be Yuko Watanabe, who was detained in the BI jail on a charge of violence against women.
Watanabe is wanted in Japan as the leader of a theft and fraud gang that has victimized thousands of Japanese, including in the death of an elderly woman.
The other three detainees — Imamura, Fujita and Tomonobu Saito — are allegedly Watanabe’s cohorts and wanted criminals as well.
All are also facing charges of violence against women, while Fujita faced additional cases of estafa and light threats, in the Philippines.
The cases against the four were dismissed to allow their deportation. Watanabe and Saito are to be deported in a day or two following a final clearance, Remulla said.
Cleared to go
DoJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano, when asked about the status of the cases against the two, said, “Confirming that the Pasay RTC has dismissed the case again both Saito and Watanabe. They are cleared for deportation.”
Remulla, in a statement he read at the airport, said, “Ahead of our President’s visit to Japan, we at the department, together with the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation, hope that this will not only strengthen the ties between the Philippine and Japanese governments but show our sincerity and genuine effort to curb any illicit or illegal maneuvers meant to erode the credibility of our justice system.”
“Let this serve as a signal to the international community that we are willing to cooperate in the fight against criminality,” he added.
WITH AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE