THE Philippine government has deported two Japanese fugitives allegedly involved in a series of robberies in their country.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla III said Fujita Toshiya and Imamura Kiyoto flew to Japan onboard a Japan Airline aircraft at around 9 a.m. from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The two were among the four Japanese nationals whom the Japanese government asked the Philippines to deport. The two other alleged fugitives were identified as Watanabe Yuko and Saito Tomonobu.
Fujita and Imamura were arrested by Philippine authorities in 2021 and 2019 respectively over various violations including violence against women and children.
The DOJ dismissed the charges against them which enabled the deportation of the foreign nationals.
Japanese authorities said the four suspects were members of a group that orchestrated at least 14 robberies in several prefectures in Japan from a detention facility in the Philippines.
It said the suspects were instructing their co-conspirators in Japan via an encrypted messaging app. (SunStar Philippines)