Philippines working for early dismissal of criminal charges vs three Japanese robbery suspects
By Robina Asido
The Philippines is working for the early dismissal of the criminal charges in local courts against three Japanese robbery suspects so they can be deported as soon as possible.
"The cases are being worked out now so that these cases will be dismissed so that we can get a clearance that there is no more pending case before anything else in accordance with the rules that are there in deportation proceedings," Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told reporters in an ambush interview in Manila on Wednesday afternoon.
"We're working by the day and by the hour. We cannot stop working. I don't have a schedule (hearing) personally but people are working on them as we speak. We are not stopping all efforts to deliver these fugitives from justice to the proper hands and this is of course the Japanese government," he added.
DOJ spokesman Mico Clavano said all of the hearings for the criminal charges against the Japanese suspects who are subject of the deportation request by the Japanese government were already moved within the week.
"All cases have been moved up to this week so we are hoping that after Friday all of that (criminal charges) will be dismissed, that is the best possible scenario," he said.
Clavano said one of the hearings is scheduled on Thursday while the other two cases will be heard on Friday. He did not the names of the Japanese who are facing trial.
Last Jan.25 , the criminal case against one of the suspects, Imamura Kiyoto, was dismissed at the Makati Regional Trial Court.
"It (deportation) will come only after the dismissal of the cases which will hopefully (be on) Friday because in court it's possible that judge will issue the order on the day itself. It's possible also that he will take some time to write the order but we hope that with the prosecutors' help we can give, it can be dismissed on the day itself," he said.
"I just want to make sure that everything is expedited. That's my job. I'm in coordination with the Japanese embassy now and we have to inform them of the things that we are doing on a daily basis. Every time there is a development, I mention to them, we are cooperating. We hope to make this record time for cooperation between the PH government and Japanese government so that when the President visits Japan, it will be smooth already," he added.
Clavano explained that once the Japanese fugitives are good for deportation, the Japanese police will be invited to come here and escort them back to Japan.
"We have to let them know about the cases. Once the cases are dismissed, they'll come right over. That is the time, that's what we agreed on that moment to be the time that we request them to come over," he said.
"They are just waiting (for) us because I've been updating them on the developments here in the DOJ. They are staying ready so every time we get closer and closer they are getting more and more ready as well. So as soon as we tell them that the cases are dismissed, they will fly right over," he added.
Clavano also noted that all the evidence was secured by the Philippine authorities for the proper transfer to their Japanese counterparts.
"Like the secretary mentioned, the cell phones, the evidence we need to make sure that they are properly held here in the Philippines and properly turned over to the Japanese government so that when the cases in Japan are being tried that they can use the evidence and admit it into the case," he said.
He also mentioned that the security at the Bureau of Immigration was tightened starting Tuesday and the four Japanese fugitives were placed inside the same warden facility separated from the other foreigners who are waiting for deportation.
"An order was issued yesterday by the Commissioner of Immigration, segregating the fugitives from the non-fugitives in the Bicutan Immigration detention center,"said Clavano. DMS
