Korean victim’s wife urges Duterte to exclude NBI from probing kidnap-slay case

February 16, 2017

The wife of a South Korean businessman who was allegedly killed by his abductors inside Camp Crame last year appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to stop the National Bureau of Investigation from investigating the kidnap-slay case.

Choi Kyung Jin, in her letter to Duterte on February 8, said: "I do not trust the NBI to carry out an impartial investigation." .

Choi sought the exclusion of the NBI following allegation by Superintendent Rafael Dumlao some NBI members are involved in the abduction and murder of her husband.

She said she prefers the Philippine National Police's Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) to handle the investigation.

"With the news that several high-ranking NBI personnel might also be involved...I am afraid that this will only further delay the speedy resolution you promised," she said.

“Please Mr. President, while I appreciate the attention you have given to this case, I hope that it will really be resolved at the soonest possible time to allow us the closure we desperately need. I believe this can happen if the AKG will take over the investigation until its final resolution," Choi added.

Choi wrote NBI Director Dante Gierran withdrawing the criminal complaint she filed before the bureau, especially its National Capital Region Division.

Four officials of the NBI have been relieved from their post following the statement from Dumlao.

The justice department has reopened its preliminary investigation of the kidnapping for ransom with homicide case after the Angeles City Regional Trial Court gave one of the accused, SPO3 Ricky  Sta. Isabel a chance to reply to the charges.

The Angeles court gave prosecutors until March 3 to conduct its reinvestigation and submit resolution of the case. The court reset the arraignment of the accused to April 19. DMS