The Bureau of Immigration has deferred the deportation of a Japanese fugitive who was arrested last year.

In a text message to Manila Shimbun, Immigration spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said Masaya Nonoyama has not been deported yet because of a pending estafa case filed against him.

“I checked yesterday, the implementation of his deportation has been deferred as he has pending complaint before the Prosecutor’s Office,” she said.

Sandoval could not tell when Nonoyama’s deportation would take place.

“Nothing was finalized because of the case,” she said when asked for the new schedule of Nonoyama’s deportation. The detained Japanese was supposed to be deported this weekend.

Sandoval could not also provide further details regarding the Japanese national's pending estafa case.

Nonoyama was arrested on Oct. 22 last year after hiding in the country since September 2015.

His arrest was made after the Japanese government sought the help of the BI to locate and deport Nonoyama who was wanted in Japan for embezzlement. Robina Asido/DMS