PHL to deport Japanese robbery mafia boss — source

SAYONARA, Luffy?

Japan and the Philippines are working overtime to deport four Japanese prisoners whom the Japanese Embassy said are facing cases for some years now.

The Department of Justice has refused to identify the Japanese inmates.

But the Japanese media and a high ranking source told republicasia that one of those being sought for urgent deportation is the man behind the string of robberies in Japan hiding under the anime codename “Luffy.”

The Japanese public is outrage over the serial robberies in 14 prefectures in Japan, the latest of which killed a 90-year old woman. It turned out that the mastermind behind the break-ins is behind bars at a detention facility in Taguig.

If push comes to shove, Yuki Watanabe and three other suspects will be deported before February 7–in time for President Ferdinand Marcos’ state visit to Tokyo.

Who’s Luffy?

The 38-year old Watanabe uses the codename, Luffy, the main character in the anime One Piece manga series, to plan the string of robberies. 

He sent orders to ring members in Japan to do break-ins via an encrypted smarphone messaging app.

The three other suspects to be deported are identified as — Kiyoto Imamura, 38; Toshiya Fujita, 38; and Tomonobu Kojima, 45, the source said.

4 warrants for Japanese inmates in Mla

Officials from the DOJ and the Japanese embassy met Monday to discuss the deportation process.

“In that meeting, the Japanese embassy presented four outstanding arrest warrants which have been pending in Japan for some years now. 

“This is the basis for the request for deportation of the four Japanese nationals from the Philippines to Japan,” Mico Clavano, DOJ spokesman, said.

DOJ to ‘expedite’ turnover

“DOJ Secretary (Jesus Crispin) Remulla has given a firm commitment to expedite the process of deportation and has vowed cooperation with the Japanese embassy and government on the matter,” Clavano added.

In an earlier press briefing, Remulla disclosed that he will have a meeting today (Tuesday) with Japanese ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa to further discuss the deportation request.

Is Luffy going to be deported?

Remulla did not identify the four deportees, and instead said they are among the 17 Japanese fugitives awaiting deportation at the immigration’s detention facility in Taguig City.

Of the total, only five prisoners are cleared for deportation, without criminal case in the country.

Watanabe, however, is not clear to go. He faces a complaint of domestic violence filed by his wife, a certain Jenny Detoquez, last May 18, 2021.  

This legally hinders his immediate deportation. Strangely enough, the case was filed almost a month after his arrest.

“If this case is already pending and is already being heard by the courts, we will see if it’s really authentic in nature or just filed to stave off any deportation movement,” Remulla said.

PBBM visit to Japan

Asked if he intends to wrap up the problem before the president’s state visit to Japan, Remulla said:” Hopefully, when you asked that question, is there any other answer? There’s no other answer but you want to do it before he (Marcos) goes to Japan, that’s the only answer.”

The justice secretary was also quick to deny that the President had asked him to speed up the deportation of the Japanese suspects before the latter’s trip to Tokyo.

“No, he hasn’t said that,” Remulla said. 

“But the President made me the secretary of justice and I have to solve this problem. And of course knowing them how important Japan is to the Philippines, we want to solve this problem as early as possible,” he explained.

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Photo: PNP-SWAT team conducts inspection at the Bureau of Immigration Facility outside Camp Bagong Diwa | photo by Froi Garces