Wife of slain Japanese trader refuses paraffin test

Claiming she was suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes, the wife of a slain Japanese businessman in Parañaque City refused to be subjected to a paraffin test.

"It’s suspicious that she’s being uncooperative," city police chief Superintendent Ronald Estilles, said yesterday.

Carmelita Murokami, 52, has puzzled instigators from the start after she claimed that she did not hear gunshots while she was inside the bedroom with her husband, Hiroo, who was shot in bed Wednesday morning.

Police said at least two assailants killed the 58-year-old businessman with a caliber .45 pistol.

Carmelita said she was sleeping on the floor when the incident happened.

Her two sons from a previous marriage were also no-shows for the appointment set by the police Thursday afternoon in taking the test, Estilles said.

He said investigators had asked Tito and Joey Valle to be present at victim’s wake at the Trinity Funeral Homes in Las Piñas. They were nowhere to be found when Southern Police District-Scene of the Crime Operatives (SPD-SOCO) team arrived to subject them to the test.

Estilles described the test as routine procedure in shooting incidents.

He added that the couple’s teenage son, Hiro Artemio and eight others have been subjected to paraffin testing.

Senior Inspector Juanita Ramos of the SPD-SOCO explained that a paraffin test would not aggravate Carmelita’s ailments.

She added that the widow refused to talk to investigators, who earlier gathered the couple had allegedly been fighting over the husband’s reported plan to transfer all his properties and money to his son in the event of his death.

Murokami was engaged in the business of exporting pebbles. Carmelita’s sons held ranking positions in the company.

Police have ruled out robbery because nothing was missing from the house located on Levitown street, Better Living Subdivision.

They believe the killers were let inside the house after they found no evidence of forcible entry.

Police are also investigating why Hiro left the gate open when he went out to jog at around 4:30 a.m. – Nikko Dizon