Task force to probe Japanese’s death
A police task force was formed to investigate the death of an elderly Japanese man in barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City.
Robbery was seen as the motive in the killing of Takao Ukena, 76, since his wallet containing ATM cards were missing.
The Japanese man, who was renting a house in BF Subdivision, was found dead on his bed last Tuesday morning.
He had an electrical cord around his neck and a wound on his forehead.
“He may have been strangled to force him to reveal the PIN number of his bank account,” said Senior Supt. Anthony Obenza, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, who will head Task Force Ukena.
Police said there was foul play involved in the victim’s death based on the bruises in his face, forearm and cuts in the forehead.
Obenza said the task force will review the video footage of a security camera in the subdivision where the Japanese was renting a house since March.
A househelper Marily Pacuellas, 25, and her husband Rolly discovered the body. The couple were questioned by the police but Uteka’s cousin, Yoshihiko, vouched for Rolly when he went to the police station yesterday with Japanese Consul Yoshiaki Hata. Yoshihiko said he asked Rolly to run errands in Cebu City when the Japanese was killed. REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS
