NBI’s German counterpart offers help in solving Boracay killings

Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), the German counterpart of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), offered to help in the investigation of the massacre of a German resort developer, a Swiss architect, a Bristish national and a Filipino maid in Boracay last May.

Ricardo Diaz, chief of the NBI-International Police (Interpol ) Division, accompanied Detleb Wilke, BKA’s liaison officer on a visit to the crime scene.

"BKA contacted us two weeks ago and offered to assist in the forensic examination. They are willing to give us DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) kits to be used in analyzing pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene, said Diaz, who noted that each DNA kit costs P18,000.

The bodies of the victims — 60-year old German Anton Faustenhauser, owner-developer of a three-story resthouse in Boracay; Manfred Schoeni, 60, a Swiss-born art gallery owner, John Cowperthwaite, a Hong Kong-based British architect and Filipina maid Erma Sarmiento, were found on May 3 but forensic investigators said the victims had been dead for more than 24 hours when they were found.

Diaz said the BKA’s offer was made without insulting the capability of the police, which earlier investigated and filed murder charges against German Uwi Frizel, an aide of one of the victims, and Filipino worker Chito Catalogo.

He noted that charges against Frizel was anchored on reports that his footprints were found in the crime scene.

Local police have wrapped up its investigation in the case by filing the charges, which is now being assessed at the Prosecutors Office. Frizel and Catalogo have yet to be detained since the case was still in its preliminary investigation.

We believe the case is not yet solved because there are three other suspects, whose identities remain unknown, said Diaz. — Cecille Suerte Felipe