PALACE APOLOGIZES FOR KOREAN KIDNAP-SLAY, VOWS JUSTICE
NBI ordered to investigate agent for possible involvement in case
Malacañang yesterday made a public apology to the wife of abducted and slain South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo.
In a statement read by Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, President Rodrigo Duterte condoled with Choi Kyung-Jin, wife of Jee.
“We wish to take this occasion to express the condolences and sympathies of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the Filipino people to Choi Kyung-jin, the widow of Mr. Jee Ick-Joo, the South Korean national who met untimely death while in police custody,” Abella said in a press conference.
Abducted from his home in October last year, Jee was allegedly killed by Philippine National Police (PNP) members inside Camp Crame, the national police headquarters. His body was brought to a funeral parlor and cremated.
The Duterte administration also apologized to the South Korean government for the “irreparable loss” and assured that it will serve justice for the killing of Jee.
“We apologize to the South Korean government and people for this irreparable loss. But we commit the full force of the law to ensure that justice is served and not delay,” he added.
Quoting Duterte, Abella said, “To the Korean people, please accept my sincerest and deepest regret.”
The President earlier cleared the police, saying the PNP has no “criminal intent” in killing the Korean national.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II ordered the National Bureau Investigation (NBI) to investigate the alleged involvement of one of its agents, identified only as a certain Jerry, in the case.
Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao, director of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group, earlier said they were verifying if ‘Jerry’ is indeed connected with the NBI, saying that one of the respondents in the case, SPO4 Roy Villegas, has identified him as an NBI agent.
Aguirre said that he would not tolerate any illegal activities of his men.
”I already directed the NBi to see kung ano mang kinalaman nung mga NBI people. May nagsabi na sa akin nyan eh well tulad ng sabi ko kahit dito sa turf ko, sa backyard ko hindi, zero ang tolerance ng corruption dito. Hindi namin tinotolerate yung ganyan. Hindi natin maaaring kunsintihin yan,” he told reporters.
NBI-NCR Chief Ric Diaz said they will look into the matter, but he said the alleged NBI agent may have misrepresented himself.
Aguirre called on the PNP and the NBI to leave no stone unturned in their probe.
Aguirre has earlier ordered the NBI to provide security to the family of Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, a police officer tagged as one of the sus- pects in the kidnap-slay case.
When asked if Sta. Isabel applied for Witness Protection Program, Aguirre said Sta. Isabel, being a member of PNP and a government agent, is disqualified from the WPP.
Aguirre has asked the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to place all the accused in the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO).
Aside from Sta. Isabel and Villegas, the others accused are PO2 Christopher Baldovino, Ramon Yalung and unidentified individuals believed to be members of the PNP, alias “Sir Dumlao”, alias “Jerry” and alias “Ding” and alias “pulis”.
Jee’s wife, Choi Kyung-Jin, 53, said her husband was forcibly taken by eight armed men on Oct. 18 last year from their residence. The family paid P5 million ransom on Oct. 30, but the businessman was never released. She asked for police assistance after the abductors asked for an additional 4 million.
We are going to make sure we defend international territories from being taken over by one country.
SEAN SPICER US
Press Secretary in response to a question about China’s claims over the South China Sea.