Police denies report body of abducted Korean recovered

January 18, 2017

Police denied a news report on Tuesday evening that the body of a Korean businessman who was abducted last October in Pampanga was recovered in a Caloocan funeral parlor.

In a text message to the Daily Manila Shimbun, the spokesman of the Caloocan police said the NBI brought five employees of the funeral parlor for questioning after their headquarters around 7 pm..

“Negative, there was no body recovered. But only the employees of the funeral parlor here in Bagbaguin, Caloocan who have (been) brought to the NBI office,” said Superintendent Ferdinand del Rosario.

Del Rosario said when police questioned the three employees left in the funeral parlor “they told us there was no cadaver or whatsoever that was taken.”

Del Rosario said the NBI coordinated their operation with the Caloocan police.

“They coordinated with us afternoon of yesterday so but no specific target or area they just (note) area of Caloocan City… so the type of operation was also not noted,” he said.

“According to the people standing-by outside, they did not see body or cadaver of person that was taken out (from the funeral parlor),” he added.

Meanwhile, the head of the Philippine National Police’s anti-illegal drugs group believed that the kidnapping of Jee Ick-joo last year is possibly funded by drug personalities.

“One is he is rich. He has series of business and that he knows the law because his partner is a graduate of law. Where you can find a police with two lawyers who went to me because he is ordered to be placed under restrictive custody?,” Senior Superintendent Albert Ignatius Ferro told reporters in CampCrame.

The police officer he is referring to is SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, who is placed under protective custody of the NBI.

“Meaning, he might be well funded and we might be into a situation that somebody is funding him especially our enemies on illegal drugs, we don't know that and why he went to NBI, we are not really yet sure but maybe he is afraid because we will uncover him here,” Ferro added. Robina Asido/DMS