Charges filed vs suspects in Korean’s slay

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – The five suspects in the killing of three Korean nationals were charged with multiple murder, rape and robbery before the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office, Friday.

Senior Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta, Olongapo City police director, said the suspects facing charges in court were Dario Basalla, alias Bogs, 34, of Sitio Botolan, Iram Resettlement, New Cabalan, Olongapo City; Willy Visoa, 32, of Barangay Mambog, Botolan, Zambales; Ronilo Cada, alias Kuts, 49, Barangay Lipaydingin, Iba, Zambales; Tony Baclay alias Tonying and Kati Pamilyang, both Aetas, and residents of Iram Resettlement Center in Barangay Cabalan, Olongapo City.

Villacorta said the suspects were positively identified by a lone witness, Catalina Versoza who saw them scaling the house fence at the back of the victims’ residence around 11 p.m. on July 26.  The witness who is residing within the neighborhood also heard a female screaming for help at around 12 p.m.

He said that on Wednesday, Basalla, Visoa and Cada were arrested at Iram Ressettlement and Mabayuhan, both in Olongapo City while Baclay and Pamil­yang were arrested Friday morning in a mountainous area of Iram.  

Villacorta also said Task Force Baek is gathering more pieces of evidence and collating information that will further strengthen the case against the five arrested suspects.  

The suspects are believed to be responsible in the killing of Chang Suk, 54; his daughter Yo Sun, 35; and Sun’s daughter Hanuel Beak, 10; in their residence at Iram Resettlement Center, Barangay Cabalan, Olongapo City.

The victims were found dead in their bedroom by Sun’s son Sangkheol Beak, 11, who survived the attack.

Yo Sun and her daughter were naked and believed raped before they were killed by the suspects. The suspects took with them undetermined cash from the victims’ house.

Basala was arrested for illegal possession of .45 caliber pistol while Visoa was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest for attempted estafa issued by the Olongapo municipal court.

Cada was arrested for illegal possession of .38 caliber revolver and had standing warrant of arrest for murder issued by the municipal trial court in Lagonoy, Camarines Sur, according to Villacorta.

Meanwhile, Yo Sun’s husband, Henry Choi, a former contractor of Hanjin Heavy Equipment Industry Inc., arrived on Wednesdasy and brought the bodies of the victims to Marikina City for cremation. On Thursday he returned to Korea with his son Sangkheol, who survived the gruesome incident.