Two Japanese fugitives, one of them an alleged member of the notorious “Luffy” gang in Japan, have been deported, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Friday, Oct. 17.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado identified those deported as Hoshino Takuya, 24, and Kunio Aihara, 62, who both boarded a flight to Tokyo last Oct. 16.
The two foreigners were included in the BI’s blacklist to prevent them from reentering the Philippines.
The BI said that Hoshino was arrested by operatives of the BI-Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) in Las Pinas City last April 22 after being reported by the Japanese government as a fugitive.
“Hoshino is reportedly a member of the notorious ‘Luffy’ gang and is accused of stealing ATM cards and targeting elderly victims by impersonating law enforcement officers,” it said.
Aihara, on the other hand, was nabbed by the BI-FSU in Las Piñas City last June 3 after the Japanese government reported that “he is wanted in Tokyo for robbery resulting in injury, in violation of the Japanese Penal Code.”
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to the President’s directive to rid the Philippines of foreign fugitives, and the bureau continues to work closely with our international counterparts to ensure that the country does not become a refuge for criminals evading justice,” Viado said. (Jeffrey Damicog)
