DND extends condolence to family of Japanese officer who died in vehicular accident

October 8, 2018

The Department of National Defense (DND) extends its condolences to the family and loved ones of Sgt Maehara Suguru who died in a vehicular accident while he was in the country as a member of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF). In a statement Monday, the DND called the incident "unfortunate." Suuguru, a member of the JGSDF contingent which is observing Exercise Kamandag, a counter-terrorism  exercise between the Philippines and the US, and participating in the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response portion of the activity. Suguru was in a vehicle on an administrative mission with another Japanese, Sgt . Yoshinori Yano,  when a report said a truck slipped due to wet and slippery road, swerving to the left side of the other vehicle along the Clark Subic Expressway on October 2. The vehicle was driven by a Filipino civilian. Suguru died on October 7 but the other passenger injured in the accident have been released from hospital, the police report said. DMS