More than two weeks after her son was found dead in a motel in Cebu City, a barangay councilwoman in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City is asking for a reinvestigation on suspicion that her son was killed.
Josie Hayashi, accompanied by her lawyer Cherry Castillo, yesterday told reporters that her son Hidezo Andong Hayashi, 36, brought with him at least P500,000 when he left home last Feb. 21.
The money and Hidezo’s cell phone were missing.
The mother said she wants to take full custody of the items recovered from the room where was found dead.
She also said she wants the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Manila to handle the reinvestigation.
“Although initial report suggested that her son committed suicide, what came to our knowledge was perhaps there may be some foul play involved like why his cellphone and money went missing,” Castillo said in a press briefing at the homicide office of the Cebu City Police Office.
Hidezo was found dead with a gunshot wound on the chin inside a room of Q5 Motel last Feb. 23.
The victim’s mobile phone was also missing.
“We were able to talk to some of the motel staff, and they said that though he checked in alone, my son told them that he was waiting for someone to arrive,” Hayashi told reporters.
She explained that it would be impossible for her son to commit suicide since Hidezo had no problem to worry about.
Hidezo’s wife is eight months pregnant.
Josie said her son was running a business and owned a house and lot.
In a previous report, SPO2 Wetzel Berry, the homicide investigator who handled the case, said the victim allegedly had a fight with his Japanese father, who later left for Japan on Feb. 21.
Josie said she only saw the body of her son after it was embalmed.
Police said a pack of suspected shabu was found in the lavatory of the room where the body was found last Feb. 23.
Castillo said they could have taken blood samples to determine if the man really took drugs had the body been preserved.
Police welcomed the request to conduct a reinvestigation.
Senior Insp. Elisandro Quijano, chief of the homicide section of CCPO, said they are standing by the result of the investigation that what happened was a case of suicide.
He considered the case closed.
“If they are not satisfied with our investigation, we are open for any agency to conduct a reinvestigation. We don’t have a problem with that. We will cooperate if they are doubting our initial findings,” said Quijano.
He said there were signs that the man shot himself.
Quijano said the firearm was found in the victim’s possession, and there was no sign of struggle in the room since the things were not in disarray.
A paraffin test also confirmed that the victim had fired a .45 caliber pistol.
“We are transparent. In fact, it is not just us who investigated it but also the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and police station concerned,” said Quijano.
He said he will turn over the evidence to the body chosen by the family to handle the reinvestigation.