PNP, NBI disagree over suspects in Jee kidnap-slay

MANILA, Philippines — Confusion reigned over the investigation into the kidnap-slay case of a Korean businessman on Thursday after the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) recommended two differing lists of individuals to be charged.

The PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) filed a case against three NBI officials in relation to the kidnapping and killing of Jee Ick-Joo last year, namely National Capital Region Director Ricardo Diaz, Deputy Director Jose Yap and Task Force Against Anti-Illegal Drugs chief Roel Bolivar.

Glenn Dumlao, the acting director of AKG, said the charges against the NBI officials was based on the recent affidavit of Rafael Dumlao implicating the three.

The PNP-AKG claimed that Dumlao named Diaz, Yap and Bolivar are direct participants in the case.

"The addendum was based on the recent confession of Atty. Rafael Dumlao," Dumlao of AKG said at the Senate hearing probing into Jee's death.

In addition to the three officials of the NBI, the AKG also filed cases against more than a dozen individuals in relation to the death of Jee.

These individuals were Dumlao, Senior Police Officer (SPO3) Ricky Sta. Isabel, Senior Police Officer 4 (SPO4) Roy Villegas, Ramon Yalung, Jerry Omlang, Gerardo Santiago, owner of Gream Funeral Parlor and his employees Epephany Gotera, Teodolito Tarepe, Kevin Enriquez, Robert John Tobias and Bernardo Maraya Jr. Also charged were one alias "Pulis" and several John Does.

The PNP-AKG said: "The totality of the pieces of evidence on record shows that the above-named respondents did a collective, concerted and synchronized acts that constitute indubitable proof that all of them are co-conspirators, with other unknown malefactors, to attain a common objective in committing their crimes. "

The PNP-AKG charged them with kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention with homicide for the death of Jee and kidnapping and serious illegal detention for the abduction of Marisa Dawis, househelp of Jee.

They were also charged with robbery for the four withdrawals in the amount of P20,000 they made using the bank card of Jee, carnapping for using the victim's vehicle to kidnap him, falsification of public document for forging Jee's death certificate and obstruction of justice.

NBI's angle

The list of those to be charged by the PNP, however, differs from that of the NBI. Conspicuously absent from their list are the names of three NBI officials named by Dumlao to have directly participated in the crime, putting it at loggerheads with the PNP on the issue.

The NBI, in its report submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ), recommended for filing of charges against Dumlao, Villegas, Sta. Isabel, Omlang, Santiago, Gotera, Police Superintendent Allan Macapagal, a certain alias "Pulis," a certain alias "Driver," a certain alias "Tol" and several John Does.

According to the findings of the NBI, it was "clear" that Villegas, Sta. Isabel, Omlang, "Pulis" and "Driver" dragged, handcuffed and took away and transported the Korean businessman with his househelp Daws from his house in Pampanga.

The NBI report also noted that the suspects stole the personal belongings of Jee's family such as jewelry worth P300,000, P250,000 cash, his wife's and daughter's passports and passbook.

The DOJ is currently conducting a reinvestigation of the case following orders from a Pampanga court.