Japan has lauded the Philippines for its "constructive response" when the latter deported on Tuesday two Japanese fugitives wanted for strings of robberies and fraud.
The Japanese Embassy in Manila made the statement after its recent request to the Philippine government for the early deportation of four Japanese nationals detained at the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
Two of the remaining fugitives are set to be deported immediately.
"We appreciate the constructive response and cooperation of the related agencies of the Philippines Government to realize deportation of two of them. Embassy of Japan is unable to comment on deportation schedule of the remaining two of them," the embassy said in a statement on Wednesday morning.
Fujita Toshiya and Imamura Kiyoto were escorted by Japanese police when they boarded a flight bound for Tokyo from Manila at around 9:30 am of Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Watanabe Yuki and Saito Tomonobu are expected to be deported soon.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the four were "identified by Japanese police to be the leaders of a criminal organization in their home country and have been charged with robbery and theft" and are "considered fugitives from justice."
All were held at the BI detention facility at Camp Bagong Diwa, where they were caught with 24 cell phones that might have been used to run "criminal enterprises" in their home country, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said.