Japanese Phishing Suspect Arrested in Manila, Faces Deportation

In a recent operation, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Manila apprehended a 39-year-old Japanese national, Yokota Tetsuya, accused of participating in phishing scams back in Japan. The arrest took place in the Binondo area on January 2, as confirmed by a BI statement released on Monday. Tetsuya is currently detained at the BI facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, awaiting his deportation. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that Tetsuya’s deportation would follow a summary order from the board of commissioners, after which he would be permanently barred from re-entering the Philippines due to his status as an undesirable alien. The arrest was prompted by a warrant issued by a summary court in Omiya, Japan, on May 31 of the previous year. According to Japanese authorities, Tetsuya and his accomplices tricked a victim into believing that transferring the right to enter a nursing home was illegal, leading the victim to send them 2.75 million yen (approximately USD17,000) through the mail. In response to this incident, the Department of Justice issued a stern warning to international criminals, emphasizing that the Philippines will not serve as a refuge for them. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla declared that the country would enhance its border control measures in the coming year, promising stricter enforcement at all entry and exit points.