Japanese Fraud Suspect Apprehended in Makati City

In a significant law enforcement operation, Eiji Shigematsu, a 48-year-old Japanese national wanted for fraud, was captured by the Bureau of Immigration’s Fugitive Search Unit in Makati City’s Bel-Air Village. The arrest, executed on a Friday, followed a mission order prompted by information from the Japanese government. Shigematsu, accused of orchestrating a voice phishing scam targeting Japanese citizens, had been overstaying in the Philippines since his arrival on October 18, 2019. The scam involved impersonating police officers to defraud victims, though it was not connected to the infamous Luffy gang, which runs similar operations. An arrest warrant from Japan’s Kajiki Summary Court for theft charges against Shigematsu facilitated his capture. Following his arrest, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado announced plans to deport Shigematsu, who will also be blacklisted and barred from reentering the country. Shigematsu is currently held at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, awaiting deportation.