■ DUTERTE TELLS 'BATO' TO IGNORE RESIGNATION CALLS, KEEP ON WORKING
Duterte junks calls for Dela Rosa’s resignation Dela Rosa not convinced by Sta. Isabel’s story
PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he has asked President Rodrigo Duterte whether he should step down in response to calls for his resignation. But Duterte allegedly brushed this aside and told him instead to just continue working. As this developed, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II urged both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to further investigate the Jee Ick-joo kidnap-slay case in order to “protect the stability of the republic.” He said he suspected it was being used to discredit the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. The South Korean businessman was strangled inside a car parked in Camp Crame, several hours after he was taken from his home in Angeles City, Pampanga last October.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II urged both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to further investigate the Jee Ick-joo kidnap-slay case in order to “protect the stability of the republic.”
Aguirre said an in-depth investi- gation on the incident is vital as it is being “used” by several people to discredit the “success” of the administration’s war on drugs.
South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo was allegedly strangled to death inside a car parked within Camp Crame, the PNP national headquarters, several hours after he and his househelp Marisa Dawis Morquicho were taken from the Korean’s residence in Angeles City, Pampanga in October last year.
The Department of Justice has recommended kidnapping for ransom with homicide charges against three police officers and four others, who are known only by their aliases.
As this developed, PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he has asked President Rodrigo Duterte whether he should step down in response to calls for his resignation.
But Duterte allegedly brushed this aside and told him instead to just continue working. Duterte and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who called for Dela Rosa’s resignation earlier, attended the police chief’s birthday party last Sunday.
“Basta, it was very clear last night. Basta pagpasok ni Presidente doon, kinausap ko siya. ‘Sir they are calling for my resignation. Ano magresign na ako? Sabi niya: No, Magtrabaho ka,’” Dela Rosa said.
Meanwhile, de La Rosa said he has personally asked SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel for his side of the story when he visited him at the PNP custodial center last Sunday.
“Hindi ako nagpakita ng galit sa kanya, sabi ko relax ka lang, magsalita ka, sabihin mo ‘yung gusto mong sabihin sa akin at magkwento ka sa akin. Puro ganun-ganun ang storya. Sabi ko direct to the point. Sabihin mo sa akin ‘yung pangyayari. Eh andami napuntahan ng istorya niya. Sabi ko diretso tayo mag-usap,” he said.
Sta. Isabel, primary suspect in the Korean’s killing, has denied the charges, saying he just followed the instruction of his superior, Superintendent Rafael Dumlao, an Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) team leader.
Senior Police Officer 4 (SPO4) Roy Villegas, one of the accused, admitted in a sworn statement that he took part in the abduction of Ick-joo. But he said it was Sta. Isabel who killed the Korean businessman.
From Camp Crame, he said the Korean’s body was brought to a funeral parlor in Caloocan.
Others indicted for Jee Ick-joo’s killing were Ramon Yalung and four unidentified individuals.
Aguirre said several circumstances surrounding the incident should be looked into more closely.
“At the rate things are going, the results of the investigation of the NBI and the PNP could be different,” Aguirre said.
“If that happens, the results of the investigation could be consolidated and it’s up to the prosecutors to determine which is more believable,” he added.
He (PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa) has my complete trust. PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE