Police recover South Korean allegedly abducted by NBI, Immigration personnel: Dela Rosa

November 27, 2017

A South Korean businessman said kidnapped by his countrymen in Pampanga allegedly with agents from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and National Bureau of Immigration (NBI) was rescued on Saturday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.

PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa said operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) rescued Lee Jung Dae, 42, around 2 a.m. inside a Toyota Fortuner at the parking lot of the immigration compound in Manila.

Three other South Koreans, also said to to be abducted by the same group, were freed after they paid ransom.

Arrested as suspects were  Chae Jae Young, his twin brother Cha Jae Sun and their Filipino driver Raymond Flores. A separate operation also Saturday led to the arrest of another suspect, Kim Min Kwan, also known as Michael Lim, along Padre Faura.

Dela Rosa said Lee was kidnapped as Friday at 9 p.m.at his residence in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City. On the same day, the suspects abducted three other Koreans namely Kim Dae Hyun, Jung Ju Wan and Kim Woo Min, Lee's employees.

“The negotiation was done while the three victims were inside two separate motor vehicles,” said Dela Rosa in a press briefing.

The three South Koreans were released after Lee's girlfriend paid P1.2 million in ransom money. The suspects said they will only free Lee in  exchange for P4 million. Lee was brought to the BI compound in Manila.

Dela Rosa said at least nine suspects are involved: six Filipinos and three Koreans.

Three suspects are said to be NBI agents assigned in Angeles while two, including Garcia, are with the Bureau of Immigration.

Kim allegedly contacted an Immigration personnel, a certain Carlos Garcia who remains at large, for an unofficial mission order against Lee and his three Korean employees at his restaurant, reportedly for violating of immigration laws.

Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao, acting head of the AKG, said they cannot "confirm if they are really agents of the NBI.” DMS