Cops nab 5 suspects in death of Japanese in Cavite

Operatives of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group have arrested five people tagged in the killing of a Japanese last December 29, 2012, in Cavite.   CIDG chief, Police Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr. identified the arrested suspects as Merlinda Soria (also known as Melinda Niikura), Gabriel Soria, Mark Anthony Soria, Gil Brown Ilag and the alleged gunman Arnold Marcos.   Cavite CIDG chief, Police Chief Inspector Rey Magdaluyo said the five suspects were arrested Saturday morning in Dasmariñas City, in connection with the shooting to death of Hideo Niikura, 61. Seized from Marcos was a caliber-.45 Caspian pistol. A caliber-.45 pistol was also confiscated from Mark Anthony Soria. An ivestigation showed Merlinda Soria ordered the killing of her husband, Hideo, over money matters and alleged physical abuses.   Magdaluyo said it was Soria’s son, Mark Anthony and the latter's close friend, Gil Brown, who hired the gunman for P100,000.   Also, Magdaluyo said Melinda and Ilag voluntarily executed their extra-judicial confession in the presence of Atty. Chris Jason G. Quintanilla. — LBG, GMA News