Boracay police continue search for missing Japanese

By Ronilo L. Pamonag

The Boracay Special Protection Unit of the Philippine National Police continues to search for a 55-year-old Japanese national who has been missing since last month.

PO1 Larry John Vidal of the BSPU operations section said yesterday that they are now coordinating with the neighboring municipalities in Aklan as to the whereabouts of Shoji Ochimura.

Ochimura was last seen walking along Cagban road in Boracay island.

Vidal said that Ochimura went out of his cottage for a walk last June 11. Since then, he has not returned.

On July 15, Lorenzo Grand Villa reported to the police that Ochimura failed to return. Police then conducted search operations after receiving the report.

Vidal said that Ochimura could not have drowned, as they found no body in the waters in and surrounding the world-famed tourist island.

Vidal described Ochimura as medium built, with black hair, weighs 115 pounds and of fair complexion. Ochimura has a mole in the lower right lip and a scar on the nose bridge, Vidal added.

He was last seen wearing a striped shirt, shorts, and a Puma rubber shoes.

We have already verified all the hearsay information that we have received, but sadly these turned out negative, Vidal said.