Japanese exec killed in heist

A Japanese supervisor of a steel gate manufacturing company was killed yesterday when four men barged into the firm’s offices in Taguig in a daring noontime heist.

Superintendent Ramon Reyes, Taguig police chief, said Yoshio Sato, a Japanese national and supervisor of Ebarra Corp., was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Cruz Rabe Hospital at 12:35 p.m.

Initial investigation showed that at around 12:05 p.m., Ebarra employees were just about to take a lunch break when four men with handguns entered the offices located at the Seven Wings Building on M.L. Quezon street, Wawa, Taguig. The employees were ordered to remain quiet and lie face down on the floor.

After they hogtied one of the employees, the suspects locked the others inside the bathroom. The employees said they heard the suspects beating up Sato. The suspects later stabbed the Japanese national in the back before fleeing the scene.

It was later discovered that the suspects took ¥50,000 (P26,000) from the victim and P4,000 and two cellular phones from the other employees, Sato’s body was taken by the Quiogue Funeral Homes to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory for autopsy.

Radio reports said the witnesses described the suspects to be between 32 to 35 years old and armed with caliber .45 pistols.

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old peddler of gold and silver died yesterday morning in Taguig when an unidentified gunman reportedly peppered him with bullets in the head and body for still unknown reasons.

Police Officer 2 Alain Sigua, case investigator, said Orlando Yoingko, a resident of 103 Bulaon street, 10thAvenue, Caloocan City died on the spot.

"The still unknown assailant emptied the magazine of his caliber .45 pistol on the victim, who sustained seven gunshot wounds," Sigua said.

At around 10:45 a.m. yesterday, Yoingko was walking along Orchid street, Zone 6, Signal Village, Taguig when the suspect went in front of him and began firing his weapon. The gunman then fled.

Sigua said the motive behind the attack remains unknown, but the victim was a regular visitor at Signal Village to sell his wares. He added it was not a remote possibility that the victim was a disgruntled customer.