PNP tags 3 NBI officials in Korean businessman abduction and killing

February 22, 2017

The Philippine National Police on Wednesday filed criminal complaints against three officials of the National Bureau of Investigation implicated in the abduction and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo in October 2016.

In the complaint, the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group named as new respondents former NBI deputy director for investigation services Jose Yap; former National Capital Region director Ricardo Diaz and former Task Force against Illegal Drugs head Roel Bolivar  in its supplemental criminal complaint filed with the justice department’s panel of prosecutors conducting a reinvestigation.

The NBI officials were implicated by Superintendent Rafael Dumlao, an official of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group who allegedly masterminded the kidnapping of Jee. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II ordered them relieved from their posts.

Also named new respondents are five employees of Gream funeral where Jee's body was cremated and disposed - Epephany Gotera, Teodolito Macato Tarepe, Kevin Enriquez, Robert John Tobias and Bernardo Maraya.

In its earlier complaint filed by prosecutors before the Angeles City Regional Trial Court, the AKG named Senior Police Officer 2 Ricky Sta. Isabel, Senior Police Officer 4 Roy Villegas and Ramon Yalung as respondents with four with aliases "Sir Dumlao, Jerry, Ding and Pulis."

The case was initially for kidnapping for ransom with homicide case.

But Judge Irineo Pangilinan Jr.  of RTC Branch 58 ordered the reinvestigation of the case upon plea of Sta. Isabel, who pointed to Dumlao as brains in the kidnap-slay case.

In the amended complaint, the AKG added Rafael Dumlao as a respondent with Gerardo Santiago and Jerry Omlang.

Santiago, a retired police officer owned Gream funeral parlor where Jee's body was cremated, has applied for witness protection program after earlier surrendering to the NBI.

Omlang, an errand boy in the NBI, surrendered and confessed to his participation in the crime. He also sought protection from the bureau.

Santiago and Omlang backed the claim of Sta. Isabel it was Dumlao who masterminded the kidnapping and killing of Jee.

The new complaint amended charges to kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention with homicide, robbery, carnapping, falsification and obstruction of justice.

The panel of prosecutors  gave respondents until the next hearing on March 2 to submit their answers and file counter-affidavits. DMS