Anicia Q. Tomokane, the victims’ grand-aunt, told Variety: “Our families are sincerely humbled by Bridge Capital’s genuine support…. This offer by Bridge Capital manifests that families and the business community here in the commonwealth share the same pain and suffering regarding the sisters’ abduction.”
Yesterday, Labrador Retriever Pohaku ended his search, which started at 7 a.m., at 3 p.m., FBI Honolulu media relations coordinator and special agent Tom Simon said.
“We are reaching a point where a few more targeted areas are to be searched,” Simon told Variety.
Not a lot of tips are flowing in, he added.
“We urge the community to talk among themselves and call us for any information,” Simon said.
With the increase in reward money, he said they are hoping that it will “generate more tips in this troubling case.”
In a statement, Baldwin said: “I reach out with all my heart to the family of the missing girls as we all pray for their safe return.”
Pipes, for his part, said “it is shocking that there are still no leads, no suspects, and the girls are still missing.”
Tomokane quoted their auntie Nan Chong who said during the family meeting on Sunday night: “May everyone’s prayers here on Saipan and beyond pierce the hearts of those individuals responsible for the girls’ disappearance, so that they can no longer keep silent.”
Tomokane is urging the community to continue praying for the missing sisters.
She also thanked members of the public for the outpour of support in the search, cash donations and in-kind contributions.
“We are forever grateful to the governor, the lt. governor, and their staff who quickly responded in the planning and executing of the search efforts.
Any assistance on how we can contribute to deal with this tragedy would be greatly appreciated,” Tomokane told Variety.
No more OT
Local authorities involved in the search of the missing girls will no longer work overtime, but Gov. Benigno R. Fitial assured that the search will continue.
Fitial in an interview yesterday said Department Public Safety personnel who were earlier allowed to work overtime can no longer file for OT in light of the government’s austerity measure.
However, DPS will continue the search by allowing its personnel to work different shifts.
The governor said police officers and other DPS operatives involved in the search will have to use their regular hours.
Night search, Fitial added, will continue. Those who work at night will have to be relieved in the morning by day-shift operatives.
“Only overtime was shut down and not the search,” the governor said.
Variety, however, learned from some former government officials that cutting the overtime of those involved in the search will eventually reduce the search effort.
