Japan police officers hail Bureau of Immigration Interpol unit

MANILA, Philippines - Officials from various Japan police organizations lauded the Bureau of Immigration for establishing an Interpol unit that will spearhead the agency’s campaign in hunting down wanted foreign criminals hiding in the country.

BI spokesman Floro Balato Jr. said the Japanese police officers, who recently visited the Philippines, also expressed interest in adopting the BI-Interpol’s strategies and methods in locating and arresting wanted foreign criminals in the country.

Balato, who heads the BI-Interpol unit, said the Japanese police officers recently visited the BI head office located in Intramuros, Manila and were briefed on the Interpol unit powers, functions and operational capability.

Balato said the Japanese delegation expressed elation on the innovations and reforms implemented at the BI during their visit to BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan.

Balato said Japanese Police Superintendent Toshimasa Ueda was impressed with the improvements at the bureau, especially the creation of the Interpol unit. He said the group was particularly overwhelmed with the way the BI solidified its partnership with other law enforcement agencies here and abroad in its campaign to apprehend foreign fugitives.

“Kenichi Horii, second secretary and consul of the Japanese embassy who accompanied the delegation, said they were impressed with the improvements that Libanan implemented in the bureau and they are planning to adopt it to their own police organizations,” Balato said.

Libanan created the BI Interpol unit in June last year to spearhead the agency’s campaign against wanted foreign criminals hiding in the country.

Since its creation, the unit has served as the BI’s front line team in hunting down foreign fugitives, Balato said. He said the unit was able to establish stronger linkages and cooperation between the bureau and the Interpol with whom the BI had established a computer linkup and common database.

He added that the unit also functions as the bureau’s main coordinating and operating unit with other foreign law enforcement agencies, including the police attaches of the different foreign missions in Manila.

“Our unit also acts as administrator and custodian of the bureau’s Interpol network database containing list of fugitives and other wanted transnational criminals,” Balato said.