Four Japanese nationals who were allegedly members of a telecom fraud syndicate were deported back to Japan on Monday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.

It could be recalled that the four Japanese, identified as Sawada Masaya, Suzuki Seiji, Koji Ueda, and Jun Kiyohara, were arrested in July.

Masaya, the alleged leader of the group, was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as he was on his way home to Paranaque City from Cebu.

The three other members were nabbed at his residence in Paranaque as they were about to flee.

In a statement, the BI said the four Japanese nationals were deported based on the violation of a section of the Philippine Immigration Act, for being undesirable aliens.

It added that they also have warrants of arrest in Japan for fraud and theft.

“Their immediate deportation was coordinated with Japanese authorities to ensure their return to face legal proceedings in their home country,” the BI said.

In October, the BI also arrested another Japanese fugitive named Sasaki Yohei in Quezon City.

The BI Fugitive Search Unit Chief Rendel Ryan Sy said in a previous interview that Sasaki was part of the 10 members of a Japanese telecom fraud syndicate that fled Cambodia and hid in the Philippines weeks before its four members were arrested in July.

He said they are investigating the possibility of other Japanese and Filipinos who are helping them hide in the country.

In a separate interview with The Daily Manila Shimbun in July, then National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief. Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said they are coordinating with the BI to arrest four more members of the Japanese syndicate who are at large and suspected of hiding in Cebu. Jaspearl Tan/DMS