Immigration raps filed vs 36 Japs arrested for telco fraud

November 27, 2019

Charges of violating the Philippine Immigration Act have been filed against 36 Japanese nationals recently arrested by Bureau of Immigration (BI) for engaging in telecom fraud activities.

Officials at the BI legal and investigation division disclosed charges against the Japanese nationals were filed by BI prosecutors last Nov. 20.

The deportation case was lodged nearly a week after the Japanese were rounded up by operatives from the bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit at a hotel in Makati City last Nov. 14.

According to the charge sheet against them, the aliens allegedly violated Sec. 37 of the Philippine Immigration Act which provides for summary deportation of aliens who violate the conditions of their stay in the country.

Due to their alleged involvement in telecom fraud, the Japanese were  accused of violating conditions of their stay under which they were admitted as non-immigrants. They were tourists who are on temporary stay in the country.

Earlier, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente disclosed he issued a mission order authorizing the FSU to conduct the operation at the request of the Japanese embassy.

The embassy reportedly informed the BI that certain Japanese nationals, identified as Nobuki Oshita, 20 and Yusuke Kiya, 33, have standing arrest warrants for theft in Japan.

The operation led to the arrest of the 36 Japanese nationals who were caught by the arresting team in their hotel room while engaged in voice phishing operations.

Japanese authorities said the syndicate victimized some 1,393 Japanese nationals who lost money amounting to more than two billion yen due to harassment and extortion.

The arrested aliens are detained at the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig pending issuance of the order for their deportation by bureau’s board of commissioners. DMS