Tayug ex-dad, accomplice get life term for slay of Japanese
TAYUG–A former town councilor here and his still unidentified accomplice were sentenced to life imprisonment for the slaying three years ago of a Japanese national along the roadside in Barangay Barangobong.
In a decision handed down by Regional Trial Court Judge Ulysses Raciles Butuyan of Branch 51, Eleorie S. Arzadon and his companion were found guilty of shooting to death Kart Suzuki, alias “Koji “, a Japanese married to a Filipino in the afternoon of November 10, 2009.
The two were also sentenced up to 12 years imprisonment in connection with the attempted murder on Suzuki’s wife, Lily Ylarde Suzuki, 33, who was repeatedly stabbed inside their car by the companion of Arzadon.
“Without prejudice in regard to the unidentified accused John Doe, and finding the culpability of the accused for the crime charged to have been duly established with proof beyond reasonable doubt, the court hereby pronounces him guilty and sentences him to reclusion perpetua for the crime of murder,” reads Butuyan’s decision.
During the trial, Arzadon never identified his companion.
In addition, the two were also convicted to 30 days imprisonment for theft as they carted away Mrs. Suzuki’s wallet containing P1,300 cash, a cellular phone worth P15,000, and two automated teller machine cards, to make it appear that the incident was a case of robbery.
Mrs. Suzuki survived the incident by pretending to be dead after the stabbing, and managed to crawl out of their car to seek help from motorists passing by along the road after the criminals left.
She identified Arzadon as the one who shot her husband, who died on the spot, with a shotgun when they went to meet him on the roadside after the latter claimed that he could not make it to the couple’s house because his motorcycle would not run
Arzadon was supposed to go the Suzukis’ residence to give them P200,000 as initial payment for the P642,000 he loaned from them.
Arzadon’s companion attacked Mrs. Suzuki and stabbed her several times before taking her belongings.
Arzadon and his companion sped away riding in tandem on a motorcycle.
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