2 foreign fugitives arrested in PH over child exploitation cases

MANILA, Philippines — Two foreigners were arrested in separate operations in Cavite and Tarlac for their alleged involvement in child exploitation cases, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Sunday.

According to the BI, the first suspect arrested was identified as Yuto Konno, a 43-year-old Japanese national who is wanted in his home country for forcible sexual intercourse and forcible indecency involving a child.

He is the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Nagoya Summary Court on August 16, 2024, stemming from allegations that he molested three minors inside a restroom in Hokkaido, Japan.

The BI said that during Konno’s arrest in Cavite on May 12, authorities also seized several electronic devices allegedly containing child sexual abuse or exploitation materials.

READ: NBI nabs man in Cavite for abusing a child

Immigration records then revealed that the suspect was on the BI’s active blacklist and watchlist for undesirability and overstaying, having entered the Philippines in 2019 as a temporary visitor and remained beyond his authorized stay since April 2022.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation conducted on May 13 in Bamban, Tarlac, the BI arrested a 37-year-old American national, identified as Tony Le.

The BI said Le was arrested after the US government alerted the agency of his presence in Tarlac.

Le is wanted by US authorities for charges related to enticing and coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity, in violation of US federal laws involving child sexual exploitation materials.

READ: Man nabbed for possession of lewd materials; 6 minors rescued

Further verification also showed that Le, who is believed to have arrived illegally in the country, had already been barred from entering in February 2024 due to derogatory records linked to possible child sexual exploitation investigations.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado maintained the agency’s commitment to preventing foreign fugitives like Konno and Le from running free in the country.

“The Bureau remains steadfast in its commitment to assist international law enforcement agencies in tracking down foreign nationals involved in crimes against children,” he said in a statement.

“As part of the BI’s #Shieldkids campaign, we will not allow the Philippines to be used as a refuge by predators and fugitives seeking to evade justice,” he added.

Viado then said that both fugitives are currently under the custody of the BI Warden Facility pending deportation proceedings. /dl