Angeles City RTC orders arrest of 2 cops, 5 others over abduction of S. Korean businessman -- Aguirre

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II

MANILA, Jan. 20 (PNA) – Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Friday disclosed that the Angeles Regional Trial Court Branch 58 has ordered the arrest of two active police officers and five others in connection to the kidnapping of a South Korean national in Angeles City, Pampanga last October.

Aguirre told reporters that Angeles Regional Trial Court Branch 58 ordered the arrest of SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, SPO4 Roy Villegas, Ramon Yalung and four people identified only under the aliases "Pulis," "Jerry," "Sir Dumlao" and "Ding" for kidnapping for ransom with homicide in relation to the disappearance of businessman Jee Ick Joo.

Aguirre said Sta. Isabel is now under NBI custody and he will be transferred to the PNP once the arrest warrant is served.

”Lumabas na yung arrest warrant about an hour ago. Angeles RTC Branch 58, susunduin siya (referring to Sta. Isabel) ng arresting officer from Camp Crame. That will happen anytime this afternoon. The custody will be transferred to the PNP,” he explained.

Aguirre also emphasized that the agency is still studying the possibility of placing Sta. Isabal under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) after he was identified as the alleged killer.

” Titignan natin kung hindi siya ang most guilty...,” Aguirre explained.

The DoJ Secretary said that the wife of Sta. Isabel went to his office to issue a statement and will be assisted by PAO lawyers under Persida Acosta.

The DOJ said the kidnapping and serious illegal detention complaints filed by the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) against the suspects was upgraded to kidnapping for ransom with homicide due to the testimony of Villegas.

In a seven-page resolution, the DOJ said Villegas gave a detailed narration of the abduction and the eventual killing of the victim.

In his narration, Villegas said Sta. Isabel brought a packaging tape and surgical gloves and ordered them to cover the head of the victim and follow him.

"He finally recalls seeing respondent Sta. Isabel strangling and killing the victim," the DOJ resolution said.

On Tuesday evening, the National Bureau of Investigation, together with the Caloocan police went to the funeral parlor after receiving information that Jee's body was taken there on the same day he was abducted on Oct. 18, 2016. No body was recovered as Jee’s body had been cremated last year.

Choi Kyunghin, wife of Jee, 53, said his husband was forcibly taken by eight armed men on Oct. 18 from his residence and has not been located until now.

His family paid PHP5 million ransom money on Oct. 30 but he was never released.

The abductors asked for an additional PHP4 million but failed to produce proof that the victim is still alive, prompting Choi to seek police’s assistance. (PNA)