Wife of killed Japanese businessman seeks NBI help to find suspect
Frustrated with efforts by police locate the prime suspect in her husband's murder, the wife of Japanese businessman Hiroshi Iwasaki is seeking help from the National Bureau of Investigation.
Illuminada Iwasaki is trying to arrange a meeting with NBI Director Dante Gierran
through Justice Secretary Vitalliano Aguirre II, who prior to his appointment in the Duterte administration's Cabinet, was her lawyer.
The Paranaque City Regional Trial Court Branch 274 on July 27 issued an arrest warrant against Filipina Edna Ogura, the alleged mastermind of Iwasaki’s murder and another suspect, Jovanni Darama, member of the group who killed the Japanese national. Darama later turned witness.
Branch 274 Judge Fortunato Madrona gave weight to the resolution of the Paranaque Prosecutors Office, saying there is enough evidence against Ogura to stand trial for the murder which occurred May 2014.
"I am frustrated that until now there is no progress and she has not been caught," Iwasaki said in a text message on Tuesday.
Iwasaki received information Ogura is hiding somewhere in the Davao region. Darama had not communicated with Iwasaki for several months because he is hiding from authorities because of a criminal case filed, ironically by Ogura.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police has
not been successful in tracking down Ogura.
Iwasaki is hoping the NBI could provide a positive result especially with Aguirre at the helm of the justice department.
Ogura was detained for a separate case of illegal possession of firearms but managed to post bail before the arrest warrant for murder came out.
Iwasaki claimed Ogura is aware of the arrest warrant. "The problem is she is hiding," she said.
Ogura, in previous interviews with Daily Manila Shimbun, denied involvement in the Japanese trader's murder, saying she has no reason to kill him as the Iwasakis are her friends. Emmanuel Tupas/DMS
