DOJ eyes criminal raps vs ‘coddlers’ of Japanese detainees

MANILA, Philippines — Heads will roll at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and some of them may end up behind bars for allegedly coddling four Japanese wanted for robbery and fraud in their country, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla vowed yesterday.

In his radio program, Remulla said his focus right now is to deport the wanted Japanese, but soon after, legal action will be taken against BI officials or personnel who kept them in the country.

“Not yet, for now. But we’re getting there,” he said when asked if the Department of Justice (DOJ) intends to prosecute immigration authorities who had a hand in providing the wanted foreigners legal cover to prevent their deportation while living in comfort at the BI warden facility in Taguig City.

A total of 36 immigration personnel of the bureau’s warden facility were recently relieved from their posts in connection with the four undesirable aliens.

Remulla said he has instructed Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingo to fix the mess, while assuring that disciplinary and administrative proceedings will be pursued against the erring BI personnel.

“If it warrants, if we have the cause for criminal prosecution, we will do it,” he said.

Remulla recalled that the Japanese embassy had written to the BI in 2019, requesting for the deportation of the four Japanese wanted for a series of robberies and fraudulent activities in their country.

BI records showed that deportation orders were issued against them but these were held in abeyance, pending the dismissal of the charges filed against them in the Philippines.

Under Philippine immigration law, the government cannot deport foreign nationals unless they are cleared of their criminal liabilities in the country.

However, Remulla said it is apparent that contrived or fabricated charges were filed against the Japanese nationals under what he called a “demand myself scheme” to prevent their being sent back to Japan.

“To prevent their deportation and because they had money, they bribed people and have been living in comfort at the detention facility as VIPs with an air-conditioned room... It’s been four years,” said the DOJ chief in Filipino.

Two of the Japanese are already cleared of their legal obligations in the Philippines, while the other two are still facing violence against women and their children (VAWC) charges before a Pasay City court.

All legal remedies are now being exhausted to expedite their deportation before President Marcos’ scheduled visit to Japan on Tuesday.

In an ambush interview Friday night, Remulla said that some police escorts from Japan will arrive in the Philippines this week to discuss the deportation process of their compatriots.