DFA: Two Filipinos arrested for alleged abandonment of couple’s corpses in Tokyo

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 23) --- The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that two Filipinos have been arrested in connection with the case of a couple whose bodies were found in their home in Tokyo.

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said Japanese authorities have allowed Philippine Embassy officials to visit one of the Filipinos arrested on suspicion of abandoning a married couple’s corpse in their home.

“She is now in a pre-indictment detention, not yet indicted,” said De Vega in an interview with CNN Philippines.

The Filipina was arrested last Friday when Norihiro Takahashi, 55, and his wife Kimie, 52, were found dead in their residence in Tokyo's Adachi Ward.

Local news reports in Japan said the bodies were found with multiple stab wounds and signs of struggle.

“Abandonment of a corpse meaning kapag nakita ka sa lugar na may patay and they cannot prove that you killed the person pero parang tinatago mo you might be charged,” De Vega explained.

[Translation: Abandonment of corpse means you were in the vicinity of the crime but there is no proof that you have killed the person. However, if it appears that you are concealing it you may be charged.]

De Vega added he is waiting for the Embassy’s report after the visit to the arrested Filipino.

The DFA official also confirmed that another Filipino was arrested in connection with the same case.

“Today there was a Filipino male for the exact same reason. He is in the same vicinity so parang abandonment of corpse din ang case. They might have evidence against him, pero hindi natin alam if magkakilala sila or magkakuntsaba [but we don’t know yet if they knew each other or if they were conspirators],” said De Vega.

De Vega said the Embassy still has no access to the newly-arrested Filipino but said it will extend assistance both of them.

“Certainly, legal assistance will be given. If they need top-notch lawyers, we will provide that,” De Vega said.