Dismiss cases of 4 Japanese to facilitate deportation – DOJ

The Department of Justice (DOJ) wants the charges against four Japanese people who are accused of planning illegal activities in Japan to be dropped so that they can be deported.

Maki Pulido said on “24 Oras” on Wednesday that the agency has asked for the cases to be thrown out because people who are still going through legal proceedings in the Philippines cannot be deported.

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“Some of the cases are in court already and we don’t control their discretion in the judiciary side so we have to file the necessary motion through our prosecution service and then it’s up to the judge whether they will dismiss the cases or not,” DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said.

According to the DOJ, the Japanese authorities requested that the four individuals be deported all at once.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is presently investigating the cellphones, laptops, and other devices discovered at their Taguig detention facility.

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The BI officers who were manning the facility are also being investigated.

Dismiss cases of 4 Japanese to facilitate deportation – DOJ

“It’s probably too early to give information about actions on the people umaandar ang imbestigasyon at kapag may makita tayong tauhan ng BI na complicit sa mga illegal activities inside the warden facility then deifnitely sila ay makakasuhan,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said.

The confiscated cell phones will be turned over to the Japanese government, which will perform a forensic examination.

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Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the controversy involving four Japanese fugitives now held in the Philippines will not impede President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s travel to Japan next week.

“If there is a decision to deport these concerned Japanese nationals, the Philippines will follow the timeline of deportation proceedings in accordance with the Philippine laws,” said DFA chief Neal Imperial.

“We feel that this is totally unrelated to the visit of the President. This is a consular matter being handled by the Department of Justice and the Japanese Embassy here and our embassy in Japan with the Ministry of Justice in Tokyo,” he added.

Marcos will travel to Japan for business from February 8 to February 12.

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