Police won’t lift fingerprints from gun used to kill Japanese in Manila

By Ronron
June 24, 2007

Policemen investigating the killing of a Japanese national in Ermita, Manila City dawn of Saturday will just have to rely on the testimony of witnesses to identify the gunman.

This, after the recovered caliber 45 gun is believed to have been contaminated already after many people held it before it reached the hands of investigators.

Officer-on-case SPO2 Virgo Villareal of the Manila Police District said Sunday that they will no longer attempt to lift fingerprints from the gun used to kill Kazuyuki Harashina, 34, because aside from the contamination, it is not really a required element that would lead to the identification of the suspect.

“That gun was thrown beside the road and many people touched it before we got hold of it. So, it is already contaminated,” Villareal said in Filipino.

“Besides, the fingerprint is not really the basis for the identification of the suspect… It is just a supporting piece of evidence to affirm the guilt of the accused,” he added.

Villareal said they will just rely instead on the testimony of their witnesses to establish the identity of Harashina’s gunman, who escaped aboard a taxi after shooting his victim three times around 2:15 am the other day (Saturday) along Mabini Street in Ermita.

Harashina, who comes from Ibaraki, Japan, was riding on his motorcycle with a Filipino friend when the incident happened.

Villareal said they have yet to establish a lead as to the motive of the crime, saying that none so far has provided information about any existing rifts Harashina is in, or any possible enemy.

He said they will continue to investigate the case by gathering information from people close to or associated with Harashina./DMS