Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives arrested a Japanese national wanted by his government for allegedly arranging a fake marriage between a compatriot and a Filipina for the later to secure a residence visa.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said 63-year-old Hiratsuka Masakazu was apprehended along a street in San Miguel, Manila with the assistance from National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Manila police operatives.
A fake NBI agent who was with the alien tried to interfere in the operation. He too was arrested for usurpation of authority and obstruction of justice.
BI Fugitive Search Unit chief Rendell Ryan Sy said Masakazu was a subject of warrant of arrest issued by the Tokyo Summary Court for allegedly making false entries in the notarized deed of marriage.
The Japanese authorities claimed that Masakazu conspired with cohorts to enable the Filipina secure long term immigration visa.
The suspects submitted to the civil registry office of the Kawaguchi City government a spurious marriage certificate of the duo issued in the Philippines.
The Japanese authorities later discovered that the marriage document and the civil wedding rite in the Philippines were a scam.