DOJ urged to probe death of Japanese businessman

MANILA, Philippines - The Japanese embassy has formally sought the help of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in resolving the killing of businessman Yuji Okada.

Embassy officials have asked the DOJ to thoroughly investigate the crime and requested that Japanese diplomats be furnished copies of the findings of the probe.

Embassy officials specifically wanted to know if authorities have already recovered the bodies of Okada and his Filipina partner Honeylyn Cirunay.

They also asked investigators if the suspects were already identified and if they are still in the country.

DOJ sources told The STAR that the letter from the embassy was referred to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for proper action.

Even before the request was made, the NBI had started the investigation that is reportedly pointing to Okada’s adopted daughter Ashley and her boyfriend Don Raleigh Reyes as the alleged perpetrators.

Earlier reports revealed that three fishermen who were hired to dispose of the bodies of Okada and Cirunay have surrendered to the NBI and confessed to the crime.

They also provided details on how Ashley and Reyes killed the victims, according to NBI’s Death Investigation Division chief Joel Tovera.

The fishermen who were identified only as Eddie, Louie and Dasto said the victims’ bodies were disposed of twice. The victims’ bodies were initially buried then exhumed and thrown in the Pacific Ocean off Polillo Island in Quezon province.