Philippine authorities are prepared to extradite four Japanese men suspected of involvement in a recent series of robberies in Japan after two of them attend hearings next Tuesday in unrelated criminal cases.

The four men are being held at an immigration facility. The Philippine authorities have said they intend to comply with Japan's request that the four men be extradited together as soon as possible. But they also say that will not happen unless the local court dismisses criminal cases brought under Philippine law against three of the four men.

On Thursday, a Manila court held hearings in cases involving two of the men, who are each accused of committing violence against a woman.

Court officials say that the two men attended the hearings remotely, and the two women who filed criminal complaints against them were present in the court.

The prosecutors demanded that the cases be dismissed. An attorney said that the court had decided to continue the proceedings for the time being and hold the next hearings on Tuesday next week.

The Philippine government has said it will aim to hand over the four men to Japan before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. begins his visit to Japan on Wednesday. But it now appears the court schedule may delay their handover.

A criminal court hearing for another of the four Japanese men is scheduled for Friday.