Lookout talks on ‘Japino’ slay

The confessed lookout in the kidnap-slay of Takeshi Adachi, a six-year-old Japino boy, has confirmed allegations of the victim’s mother that her brother-in-law, Alex Vargas, was the mastermind of the crime that took place in Sta. Rosa, Laguna last April 15.

Ricky Esperas, a first cousin of Maria Teresa Adachi, the victim’s mother, admitted to probers of the Southern Tagalog police command that he was in the group of five headed by Vargas when they broke into the Adachi residence inside a posh subdivision in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, shortly before midnight last April 15.

Killed in that incident were Nancy Vargas, sister of Mrs. Adachi and wife of Vargas, and Adachi’s driver Nelson Aglahi.

The decomposing body of the young Adachi, who was abducted that night, was exhumed in Norzagaray, Bulacan, Friday night.

Esperas said that upon Vargas’ instructions, four of them entered the Adachi compound April 15. He said that Vargas, pretending to be alone, knocked on the gate and was let in by Aglahi.

He said that Vargas and the three other suspects then hog-tied and dragged Aglahi into the house where Vargas was confronted by his wife Nancy.

Esperas claimed he did not witness the actual killing of Nancy, who was also his cousin, and Aglahi inside the bathroom as he acted as lookout outside the townhouse for the group.

He, however, said that from outside, he overheard Nancy and Alex quarreling and through a glass panel, he later saw Alex banging the head of Nancy on the concrete wall.

He added that minutes later, he saw Vargas emerge from the house with the crying six-year-old Takeshi Adachi locked under his armpit, followed by three other suspects carrying some of the appliances of the Adachis.

The mother had told police that the suspects, all wearing ski-masks, took her son after she failed to give them money.

Esperas told probers that when he protested why Vargas snatched the young boy, the latter threatened to kill him.

The group then drove off using the Adachis’ Toyota Revo. Esperas said they dropped him off at Cubao and was instructed to return to Sta. Rosa.

SPO4 Rizaldy Garcia, Southern Tagalog CIDG chief of investigators said the crime appeared to revolve within the family with money as the principal motive of the perpetrators.

Probers suspect that Vargas could have pulled off the crime because Mrs. Adachi, a widow, was to receive a huge sum from a Japanese insurance company.

Hours after the crime, police and media men complained that Vargas refused to let them inside the compound and even refused to talk.

Vargas and the three other suspects are now at large.

Superintendent Maximo Malabanan, regional police chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group expressed confidence that they have a strong case against the suspects.