Korean trader rescued; 4 kidnap suspects arrested

The police rescued a South Korean restaurant owner following the arrest of three of his compatriots and a Filipino accomplice in two separate operations in Manila, including the parking lot of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Intramuros before dawn Saturday.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa identified the rescued victim as Lee Jung Dae, a restaurant owner in Pampanga who was snatched from his residence in Balibago, Angeles City in Pampanga on Friday.

Arrested were twin brothers Cha Jae Young and Cha Jae Sun and their Filipino accomplice, Raymond Flores.

The fourth suspect, Kim Min Kwan, alias Michael Lim, was collared near his condominium unit in Ermita, Manila.

“They actually kidnapped four Koreans on November 24. Aside from Lee Jung Dae, they also took three of his Korean employees,” said dela Rosa who led yesterday’s presentation of the arrested suspects to the media.

Dela Rosa identified the three other victims as Kim Dae Hyun, Jung Ju Wan and Kim Woo Min.

The police are likewise looking into the supposed involvement of erring BI and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel.

The PNP’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) is in pursuit of four supposed NBI agents involved in the abduction, one of whom was identified by Kim as a certain Carlos Garcia.

‘Double-cross’ Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao, PNP - AKG

director, said the suspects negotiated for the release of the victims for P1.2 million.

Lee’s girlfriend delivered the money at the Marquee Mall in Angeles City but only the three Korean employees were released.

“Mr. Lee was not released and was transported to Intramuros, Manila for another P1.2 million ransom demand,” said Dumlao.

The PNP-AKG, however, received information on the matter and hatched the operation.

The kidnap plan “It was the twin brothers who conducted the casing and surveillance on Lee who owns and operates a restaurant in Angeles City,” said Dumlao.

Investigastion showed that once a target is identified, the suspects would deal with their contacts at the BI office.

“The BI personnel will prepare an unofficial Mission Order listing all the wouldbe targets. This MO will be shown to the unsuspecting Korean nationals who would be forcibly dragged into the waiting motor vehicle,” said dela Rosa. Scalawags eyed During the investigation, Kim said Garcia, who carries the alias ‘Oxo’, is an NBI agent assigned in Angeles City.

“The Koreans had linked up with Carlos Garcia at Pagcor in Angeles City. With him were three alleged NBI agents on board a white sedan. Accordingly, there were three alleged NBI agents believed to be assigned at the NBI Regional Office in Angeles City,” said dela Rosa.

“Two alleged BID (Bureau of Immigration and Deportation) agents are also involved in this operation. They are now the subject of the investigation of the AKG,” he added.

The Jee Ick Joo case Dela Rosa said that the case is similar to that of Jee Ick Joo who was kidnapped and killed in October last year by a group of scalawag police officers and NBI agents.

Jee was forcibly taken from his residence also in Angeles City and was taken to Camp Crame in Quezon City where he was strangled to death.

His captors, however, still demanded ransom from his family.

“This almost the same as Jee Ick Joo case but the difference is that no policeman is involved here, those involved are members of the other law enforcement agencies,” said dela Rosa.