MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested a Japanese national and his two Filipino cohorts in an entrapment operation in Manila for grave threats under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10175).

In a report from the NBI-Cavite North District Office (NBI-CAVIDO North), operatives identified the suspects as Akira Machida, a Japanese national, and his companions Glenn Beltran Huerto and Christopher Lattao Maramag.

The operation stemmed from a complaint filed by two Japanese nationals, who accused Machida of threatening them after a failed renovation deal.

According to the complainants’ affidavits, Machida had contracted one of them, a construction business owner, to renovate his coffee shop for ₱4.728 million. The contractor later discovered that the coffee shop was not owned or leased by Machida, but by Huerto and Frenelyn Libao Soloria. Despite this, the project continued after an initial payment of ₱3.309 million, equivalent to 70% of the total contract price.

Weeks later, the project was halted when Machida could no longer fund the construction. He allegedly urged the contractor to take out a loan, promising repayment from the sale of his property in Japan — but the deal never pushed through.

On September 20, 2025, Machida, along with Huerto and Maramag, met with the complainants and threatened to kill them if they failed to pay a penalty. The next day, Machida allegedly demanded ₱10 million for their “forgiveness,” while Maramag contacted the victims separately to demand half of the amount and threatened to harm their families.

An entrapment operation was set up on October 1, 2025, at an establishment in Manila. After Machida received the marked money, NBI agents immediately arrested him along with Huerto and Maramag.

The suspects were presented for inquest proceedings before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Manila for grave threats under the Revised Penal Code in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.