Family visits home of slain Japanese

CEBU, Philippines - It was an emotional journey yesterday for the parents of the Japanese diving instructor Kotoka Kajii Denila as they visited the house in Lapu-Lapu City where she was killed by her husband earlier this week.

The parents and only brother of Kotoka arrived the other night and viewed her remains in the Cebu Rolling Hills Memorial Chapels.

Yesterday morning they went to the couple’s house in St. Dominic Subdivision in barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.

Lapu-Lapu City Police Office officer-in-charge Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas said the family only took some of their daughter’s photos and personal belongings when they visited the house.

They had to wear face masks as the crime scene still smelled of blood. 

They also visited the couple’s house in Cordova town which is still under construction but Lawas said that the family is no longer interested in the couple’s properties here as they are also aware of the laws on conjugal properties here in the Philippines.

All the family wishes for now is to take their nine-month-old granddaughter with them when they go back to Japan.

The family also met with the police who briefed them about the incident with the aid of a Japanese interpreter provided by the Japanese consulate.

Lawas said that Kotoka’s husband Dexter Louie Denila will not block his family’s wife from taking his daughter with them to Japan, his only appeal is that they will not take away his paternal rights and that the child will continue to use his family name.

The victim’s body is set to be cremated today and her ashes will be brought back to Japan by her family.

Dexter stabbed his wife dead last Monday dawn after he got mad that the victim berated him for coming home late and drunk.

The lone witness to the crime was their 18-year-old helper Jupel Baldosano.

Dexter is now in the Lapu-Lapu City Jail after the court issued a commitment order for his detention following the filing of a parricide case against him.  (FREEMAN)