Korean suspect denies kidnapping complaint

CEBU, Philippines - “I firmly deny the allegation that I am the mastermind of the alleged kidnapping of Jun Hyung Chung and Charisse Santiago.”

 This was the statement of Song Sung Heum, a Korean national, in his counter affidavit filed before Prosecutor Rhodna Bacatan.

Heum and three others are facing complaints of kidnap for ransom.

 Chung and Santiago filed a complaint against Heum,  Gregorio Dealagon, Richard Dealagon and Leonardo Bolabon who allegedly kidnapped them on October 24 at their apartment in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

 The two alleged they were handcuffed and forced to board the suspects’ vehicle.

The accused reportedly demanded P600,000 in exchange for their liberty.

 The three Filipino respondents identified Heum as the mastermind of  the kidnapping.

“I do not know Gregorio, Richard and Bolabon, the 3 Filipinos who allegedly kidnapped Chung and Santiago. But the face of Richard Dealagon is familiar. I think I met him once when I came to Cebu before,” the counter affidavit stated.

 Heum said he knows Chung as they were former friends but not Santiago.

He added that sometime in August this year, he and Chung had an argument because the latter allegedly kept on borrowing money from him for his gambling in the Casino.

 Heum alleged Chung borrowed 35,000 Korean Won or close to P1.3 million and Chung did not bother to pay.

“He even threatened to shoot me if I will come back to Cebu,” he added.

 Heum said he was an ordinary businessman in South Korea and he came to Cebu to start a business.

 “I was told that it was good business to import second-hand Korean cars and to sell them in Cebu,” counter-affidavit reads.

 Heum arrived in Cebu on Oct. 25. He said his Filipino friend named Tom was the one who convinced him to selling second-hand cars in Cebu.

 He was supposed to meet with Tom last October 22 but his flight was reset to October 24.

Another Korean, Ham Young Jin, who is also Chung’s friend advised him to be a Casino financier.

Jin said Chung can help him.

 “Indeed, Chung was able to help me but in return he kept asking me for money. Chung also introduced me to another Korean, Brian Oh, for whom Chung works at the casino. I told Brian Oh about my problem with Chung but he did not want to help resolve our differences unless I let him borrow 20,000,000 won or about P750,000,” counter affidavit further stated.

 Heum said he decided to stop his casino lending business. — (FREEMAN)