Police to NBI agents: Prove innocence in Korean kidnap case
MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) urged on Wednesday, November 29, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents implicated in the kidnapping of a Korean businessman in Angeles City, Pampanga to come forward and clear their names.
Three NBI agents and two members of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) were tagged in the November 24 kidnapping of Lee Jung Dae, a restaurant owner in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Lee’s three employees in the restaurant were also abducted on the same day.
PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa, upon learning of the abduction on Saturday during a meeting with his counterparts in South Korea, ordered the AKG to conduct an operation to rescue the victims.
Police arrested three Korean nationals - Kim Min alias Michael Lim and twin brothers Cha Jae Young and Cha Jae Sun - and Filipino national Raymond Flores, who were allegedly involved in the kidnapping.
Initial investigation showed that the Chas were tasked to conduct surveillance of their target while Kim contacted the NBI and BI agents, who came up with a fake mission order to compel the target to go with them.
Lee’s girlfriend paid the suspects P1.2 million, but the suspects did not
release the victim and instead asked for an additional P1.2 million.
Lee was rescued inside a vehicle parked within the BI compound in Intramuros, Manila. The victim was guarded by Flores and the Cha brothers.
Dela Rosa said Kim revealed during the interrogation the participation of the NBI agents assigned in Pampanga and the two BI operatives identified as Carlos Garcia and Paul Calingasan.
NBI director Dante Gierran had denounced Dela Rosa’s statement and lamented that the organization's credibility was destroyed based on still unverified report.
He said they were considering the filing of charges against the PNP. Gierran maintained that all NBI agents in their Pampanga office are all accounted for.
AKG director Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao said the NBI, particularly the agents involved, should shed light on the matter instead of threatening to sue the PNP.
He also defended Dela Rosa saying that the top policeman was even very careful in mentioning the implication of the other law enforcement agents. SunStar Philippines