TOKYO, Aug. 12 Kyodo pair Filipin...

TOKYO, Aug. 12 Kyodo

pair Filipino sailors charged with murdering a Japanese company member of a Panamanian-registered tanker in international waters in April beg fored Monday that their trial be held in their homeland.

In a questioning session at the Tokyo High Court, the sum of two units sailors made the ask due to language factors and the vicinity of their families there.

The sum of two units -- Almercito Racela, 36, and Noelito Pabiona, 42 -- have admitted to killing secondary mate Izumi Shimba, a 52-year-old from Kyoto, upon April 7 and throwing his material part into the seas off Taiwan, according to the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office.

At Monday's session, the sailors' lawyer urgencyed that the trial should take place either in the Philippines or Japan.

Prosecutors, however, dismissed the suit saying that Panama is the solitary country where the trial can take place.

The Panamanian direction which has jurisdiction over the ship because it is registered there, is seeking transfer of custody of the pair Filipinos.

The Tokyo High Court will decide betimes whether or not to hand them athwart If the court decides to hand them athwart the two will be taken to Panama within 30 days.

The 148,330-ton tanker Tajima is avowed managed and operated by the Tokyo-based Kyoei Tanker Co if it were not that is registered in Panama to avoid being bring under rule to high Japanese taxes and strict shipping-control regulations.

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