Court dismisses case vs Japanese fugitive
A COURT in the City of Taguig has dismissed the case filed against one of the four alleged Japanese fugitives whose deportation is being sought by Japan over accusations linking them to a series of robberies.
According to Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) Branch 116 clerk of court Merly Pagkalinawan, the case filed against Toshiya Fujita was dismissed on February 1, 2023, after the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion to withdraw the criminal information on January 31, 2023.
“The motion to withdraw stated the ground that there is a consistent absence on the part of the private complainant. However, the court made an independent study, a revisit of the probable cause, and finds that there is none. That is the reason why the motion is granted and it has the effect of a dismissal of the case,” Pagkalinawan said.
She continued that the complainant, a male Filipino suspect, and Fujita, never appeared in court despite being summoned.
“None of the parties appeared, the complainant, the accused, even if there is counsel representing them, there are no appearances,” Pagkalinawan said.
The four Japanese are believed to be members of a syndicate behind a series of robberies in Japan.
One of them is Imamura Kiyoto, who is the subject of a summary deportation order dated Jan. 30, 2020, due to cases of theft and robberies in his country.
He was charged with violation of Republic Act 9262 or Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) but was dismissed by a court in Makati City on January 26.
On the other, Kiyoto’s alleged leader, Yuri Watanabe, or alias “Luffy,” is facing a separate criminal charge before the Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC), also for VAWC.
Luffy was also ordered for deportation for illegally entering the Philippines and charges of counterfeiting and theft in Japan.
He is believed to have remotely given instructions to those carrying out the robberies in Japan via an encrypted messaging app from an immigration facility in Manila.
Kiyoto and Luffy are being suspected as among four men detained in Manila who Japanese police have requested be deported to Japan.
