Japanese fugitive nabbed at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — A Japanese man wanted in his own country for theft was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 as he was about to board a flight for Nagoya on Nov. 16, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said yesterday.

Saito Shimoeda, 26, reportedly resorted to slamming his head on the immigration counter and feigning distress when he was apprehended, according to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.

The BI supervisor on duty confirmed that Shimoeda is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Tokyo Summary Court for his alleged involvement in a large-scale telecommunications fraud syndicate.

Tansingco alleged that Shimoeda worked as a caller for the syndicate, targeting fellow Japanese while he is overseas.

BI records show Shimoeda entered the Philippines in 2019 and has since eluded arrest.

The arrested fugitive was placed in the BI blacklist and is now classified as an undesirable alien, according to Tansingco.  He will be in the BI’s detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig pending his deportation.