Japanese man claims to be Phl general

MANILA, Philippines - A 67-year-old Japanese man arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (NAIA-2) from Macau Friday night and presented himself to immigration officers as a three-star general (a lieutenant general) who heads the Philippine Army, Navy and Air Force.

Immigration supervisor Danny Calabio, intelligence officer Conrado Colanta and Travel Control Enforcement Unit (TCEU) officer Anthony Lopez said Masanori Kikuchi arrived on board Philippine Airlines flight PR343 at around 6:30 p.m.

They said Kikuchi appeared to be drunk. He shouted at other travelers, pulling them away from immigration counters and telling them not to enter his country.

He continued to shout at every person who approached him as he introduced himself as a three-star general and a good friend of President Aquino.

Kikuchi was later invited to the immigration office to pacify him, offered coffee and asked to present his passport. He presented his Japanese passport and tried to convince officers that he is really a general, pointing to the patches on his “uniform.”

Kikuchi was accompanied by another Japanese man, who was allowed to enter the country but refused. “I cannot enter the Philippines alone and I cannot leave him because he is my boss,” Kikuchi’s companion said.

The two boarded a flight back to Macau, their port of origin.