Pinoys charged for abandoning corpses arrested anew for murder

MANILA, Philippines — Two Filipinos earlier charged for allegedly abandoning the dead bodies of a Japanese couple in Tokyo in January have again been arrested, this time on murder charges. 

Kyodo News reported yesterday that fresh warrants were served on Bryan Jefferson Lising dela Cruz, 34, and Hazel Ann Baguisa Morales, 30.

They are now being tagged as perpetrators in the killing of Norihiro Takahashi, 55, and his wife Kimie, 52, who were found dead with stab wounds at their residence.

Kyodo News said the Japan police carried out the arrests of Dela Cruz and Morales, who likely knew each other from when they were still in the Philippines, and that Morales is a former girlfriend of the couple’s son.

Police said the suspects have denied involvement in the deaths, but are now suspected of breaking into the Japanese couple’s home in Tokyo’s Adachi Ward and stabbing them to death on Jan. 16. 

According to Kyodo, citing investigative sources, Morales is a resident of Adachi Ward and is believed to have owed money to her former boyfriend, and she had a disagreement with the couple over her relationship with their son.

On the other hand, Dela Cruz, a resident of Tsuchiura in Ibaraki Prefecture, reportedly went to Japan as a technical trainee in July last year.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers have yet to confirm and comment on the reported arrests.