Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 27) — The Philippines is awaiting comment from Japan about one of its citizens who went by the alias “Luffy” — the alleged mastermind behind a robbery ring — who was reportedly nabbed by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Justice Secretary Jesus “Boying” Remulla said on Friday.
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As reported by the Japan Times, the alleged mastermind behind the string of robbery cases in Japan had been sending instructions via smartphone from an immigration detention center in Manila.
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One of the cases saw ¥35 million (around ₱14.7 million) in cash and gold bars stolen. Another resulted in the murder of a 90-year-old-woman.
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“It’s not proper for me to discuss it yet. They haven’t made contact yet when the issue started coming to my office. The situation here is that Japan is the requesting party, we are waiting for the request to push through,” Remulla told reporters.
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He said that he still had to discuss the matter with the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines.
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A briefer from the Department of Justice (DOJ) said that a Japanese national named Imamura Kiyoto with the alias “Luffy” was first intercepted by the BI in 2019. On Jan. 30, 2020, a deportation order was filed against him as he was a robbery fugitive fleeing from justice in Japan.
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A criminal case was filed against him for violence against women and children. This was dismissed by a Makati court on Wednesday, Jan. 25. Following the dismissal, he will soon be deported. Kiyoto was originally thought to be the mastermind behind the robbery gang in Japan.
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However, two years later on Apr. 19, 2021, one Yuki Watanabe who also went by the alias “Luffy” was caught by immigration. A deportation order was filed against him on May 28, 2021 for illegally entering the country and for fleeing the law in Japan.
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Like Kiyoto, Watanabe has a pending criminal case for violence against women and children.
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Watanabe is now thought to be the mastermind “Luffy” and Kiyoto just a member of the gang, the DOJ briefer said.
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Remulla said that the BI had many foreigners under detention and that the DOJ was working to identify the true identity of “Luffy.” He added that he could not discuss the subject further.
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Meanwhile, the BI was directed to strictly monitor and prohibit Watanabe’s access to communication devices.
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