‘I took no part in crime’

Santiago arrives in PH, saying he is home to prove his innocence He says two groups are trying to kill him, telling him not to go home from Canada

The owner of the funeral home in Caloocan City where the slain Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo was brought denied his supposed involvement in the gruesome crime.

“Kaya po ako umuwi dito kasi wala akong kasalanan. Kung may kasalanan ako, magtatago na ako

sa Canada (I went home because I did nothing wrong. If I did, I could have gone in hiding),” Gerardo Santiago, the owner of the Gream funeral parlor, said in press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila hours after he arrived from Canada.

Santiago, who was tagged in the murder of the Korean trader, arrived in the country early Friday morning from Canada where he had a vacation.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Santiago will be placed under the NBI’s protective custody due to supposed threats to his life.

“Santiago says two groups are trying to have him killed. He

said he got threats while he was in Canada. He was told not to go home,” he said.

However, Aguirre said Santiago’s statement during their private talk cannot be used as basis for him to be placed under the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Aguirre said the DOJ is yet to get Santiago’s formal statement regarding Jee’s killing because he has no lawyer. “Malaki ang maitutulong niya

sa pagpapaliwanag sa unanswered questions,” he said.

On Oct. 18, Jee was abducted, along with household helper Marisa Morquicho, from his home in Friendship Plaza village in Angeles City, Pampanga by suspects who introduced themselves as operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Illegal Drugs Group.

Morquicho, who identified one of the suspects as Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, said cops brought them to Camp Crame, Quezon City.

She said she was not able to see the actual killing of her boss as she was ordered to transfer to another vehicle.

SPO4 Roy Villegas, who admitted to taking part in the abduction of the Korean businessman, said Sta. Isabel strangled Jee to death while inside a parked vehicle in Camp Crame, the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police.

He said Sta. Isabel masterminded the kidnap-slay of Jee and duped them in believing that it was a legitimate anti-drug operation.

In Thursday’s Senate inquiry on the alleged “tokhang for ransom”, Sta. Isabel denied Villegas’ claims saying he just followed his superior’s order, which is to bring Jee’s remains to Gream funeral home.

Sta. Isabel said his boss, Superintendent Raphael Dumlao, told him that he already made arrangements with the owner of the said funeral parlor. THIRDS ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO / SunStar Philippines