3 accused: We did not kidnap Korean

CEBU, Philippines - The three Filipino respondents in the kidnapping of a Korean denied the charges in their counter-affidavits submitted before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Gregorio Dealagon, Leonard Bulabon and Richard Dealagon said they were surprised about the allegations, saying the issue is supposedly between Jun Hyung Chung and Song Sung Heum over debt.

Gregorio, a resident of Aloguinsan, Cebu and Bulabon, a resident of Pacuan, La Libertad, Negros Oriental, said they were called by Richard asking for their assistance.

 “It was Richard who tapped me and Leonard’s assistance so that a certain Jun Hyung Chung and Song Sung Heum would end up meeting each other on October 25, 2012 for them to settle an issue of debt in accord with their culture as fellow Korean,” the counter-affidavit reads.

 The two said that on October 24, 2012 they went to the residence of Chung and his live-in partner Charisse Santiago in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City then proceeded to a mall at around 5:00 p.m., the place where Chung and Heum will be meeting.

 They added that Chung and Santiago were taking a stroll in the mall but at around 10:00 p.m. they were told by Chung that they could no longer wait for Heum and told them to give the money to Heum instead.

 This is why Charise withdrew from an ATM, and Jun handed the money to them.

“This was the time that the police arrived and started arresting us,” the counter-affidavit reads.

 Richard, a resident of Pusok, Lapulapu City, said on October 25, 2012, he executed an extra-judicial confession before SPO2 Kenneth Malickchan to clear the issues involving them.

 He said the police appointed lawyer Salvador Solima to assist him, which he said was not his own choice.

 He narrated that it was Fred Naval who introduced him to Heum. The two told him that Chung owed money from Heum. He added it was Naval who called him, asking for his assistance so they could set up a meeting between Heum and Chung to settle their issues.

 He admitted asking the assistance of Gregorio and Bulabon.

 On October 24, 2012, he said they went to the residence of Chung and Santiago. They introduced themselves and denied using force to take them.

 “Jun and his girlfriend were not forcibly taken. Neither was there any fraud nor any other forms of misrepresentation employed to get them to be with us,” his counter-affidavit reads.

 Richard added when they went to the residence of Chung they told him that Heum wanted to see him and the latter will arrive in Cebu early dawn of October 25.

 He added that Chung and Santiago voluntarily accompanied them and went to a mall waiting for Heum.

 However, he said Chung told them that they can’t wait for Heum and instead asked them to give the money to Heum. Chung then withdrew and gave the money to them. It was the time that the police arrived and arrested them.

 “Unfortunately, the foregoing statements were nowhere to be found in my extra-judicial confession, thus, making it only inaccurate but also and more significantly susceptible to an interpretation seriously prejudicial to me, Greg and Leonard. In the interest of justice there is a need to recant all statements therein, which is inconsistent with this affidavit of recantation,” he said, referring to the extra-judicial confession attached to the complaint filed before the prosecutor’s office.

 Earlier, Heum filed his counter-affidavit and denied the allegation filed against him. He likewise, denied that he was the mastermind of the kidnap for ransom. — (FREEMAN)