Seventeen Japanese nationals are detained at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) Bicutan Detention Center, Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Monday.

In a press briefing held at The Bayleaf Hotel in Manila, Tansingco said most Japanese were detained due to undesirability and overstaying.

“As to the number, as of November, 17 are in our facility in Bicutan,” Tansingco said.

“Why are they considered undesirable? Because most of them are fugitives from Japan. But we cannot deport them because they also have cases in our courts. The cases need to be resolved before we deport them,” he said.

“We do not have any (deportation) scheduled now but that will continue once we get all the clearances and when they get tickets they will fly back to their country immediately,” he said.

“That will depend on the flow because these clearances go through the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and the court. Then the tickets are usually paid for by either the embassy or the fugitive because we do not have a budget for the transportation of these deportees,” he added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS