Filipina nabbed over dead Japanese couple seen buying daggers, says DFA

CITING JAPANESE MEDIA

One of the two Filipinos arrested in Japan for allegedly abandoning the bodies of a dead couple was spotted buying daggers before the incident, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Monday, citing Japanese media. 

De Vega said the local newspapers in Japan even reported that the DNA of the two Filipinos were detected in the house of the couple, and that the DNA of the Filipino woman had matched with the DNA found on a murder weapon.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/dispatch/899595/dna-of-1-of-2-pinoys-under-probe-in-japan-matches-with-murder-weapon/story/ 

“Ang ebidensya daw, according to newspapers, is ang DNA ng dalawa nakita sa residence at ‘yung sa babae pa nga kasama pa raw sa murder weapon na nakita, na kutsilyo. Meron din daw silang evidence via CCTV na bumili ang babae ng mga daggers, mga kutsilyo, before nangyari ang insidente,” De Vega said on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

(According to newspapers, there is evidence that the DNA of the two Filipinos were found in the couple’s residence and the DNA of the Filipina was detected on the murder weapon. They also have evidence via CCTV that the woman bought daggers or knives before the incident happened.) 

The DFA official, however, pointed out that Japanese police have not yet confirmed this information with the Philippine Embassy. 

In a CCTV footage, the two Filipinos — identified as Bryan Dela Cruz and Hazel Ann Baguisa Morales — were seen coming out of the house where the couple, Norihiro and Kimi Takahashi, were found dead on January 16, 2024.

De Vega said that the two Filipinos were initially only being investigated for a minor crime because they left the body of the Japanese couple. However, since new evidence were found, they have to be detained longer by the police. 

“Malalaman natin by March 23 or 24, or bago matapos ang buwan, kung ano ang huling desisyon ng piskalya at kung sasampahan sila ng kasong double murder. Kung ganon, mas lalong todo-bigay ‘yung assistance na kasi seryosong crime ang double murder,” he said. 

(We will know by March 23 or 24, or before the month ends, what the final decision of the prosecutor will be and if the Filipinos will be charged with double murder. In that case, we will be giving them more assistance because double murder is a serious crime.) 

De Vega also clarified that the accused Filipinos have not admitted to committing the crime, as opposed to posts circulating on social media. 

“Wala silang inaamin sa pulis, ‘yan ang gusto kong i-emphasize. Wala silang inaamin na kasabwat sila rito or what,” he said.

(I want to emphasize that they haven’t admitted anything to the police. They haven’t admitted that they are complicit in the crime or anything.) 

The two Filipinos were rearrested earlier this month and are now being investigated for murder.

The Department of Foreign Affairs previously said that Dela Cruz and Morales were not considered suspects and the only suspicion against them was the abandonment of the couple’s corpses. —KBK, GMA Integrated News