Philippines deports 2 wanted Japanese nationals

The Philippine government deported Tuesday morning Japanese fugitives Toshiya Fujita and Kiyoto Imamura back to Japan.

Na-deport na patungong Japan sina Toshiya Fujita and Kiyoto Imamura na sangkot umano sa ilegal na aktibidad doon. Bukas ang alis ni Pangulong Marcos patungong Japan para sa isang official working visit. @gmanews Photo courtesy: DOJ pic.twitter.com/8Cdhv4boY4

— sandra aguinaldo (@sandraguinaldo) February 7, 2023

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday their flight was around 9 a.m. on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 via Japan Airlines flight 746.

They were escorted by Japanese police who arrived in the country last night.

The two were among the four Japanese nationals whom the Japanese government asked the Philippines to deport. They were suspected of directing a series of robberies there while detained in the Philippines.

The alleged masterminds, identified in Japanese media as Kiyoto Imamura and Yuki Watanabe, were arrested respectively in 2019 and 2021. Japanese police said the two could be sharing the alias "Luffy," after a character in the Japanese manga "One Piece." The other two are Toshiya Fujita and Tomonobu Kojima.

Based on information from the Department of Justice, Kiyoto had a case of anti-violence against women which was dismissed by court on January 25.

Meanwhile, Toshiya had one case of anti-violence against women, two cases of estafa, and one case of light threats. All of these were also dismissed in time for his deportation.

Tomonobu Saito and Yuki Watanabe, on the other hand, both had a case of anti-violence against women.

Both of them are set to be deported Wednesday after a Pasay court granted separate motions to withdraw the cases filed against them, Remulla said Tuesday.—Giselle Ombay/AOL, GMA Integrated News