PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa said Tuesday that a "bigger syndicate" is behind the kidnap-slay case of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo.
"Malaking sindikato ito, malaking sindikato itong kanilang grupo. Joint operation nila ng PNP at NBI (National Bureau of Investigation)," Dela Rosa said, adding that Senior Police Officer 3 (SPO3) Ricky Sta. Isabel's cohorts may try to silence him.
Sta. Isabel is the alleged brain behind the abduction of Ick-joo last October 18 in his residence in Angeles City, Pampanga. The South Korean national was reportedly killed later that day, inside a parked vehicle in Camp Crame.
From Camp Crame, the victim’s body was then brought to a funeral parlor in Caloocan City, which is owned by retired police officer and now barangay chairman Gerardo Santiago.
Sta. Isabel earlier denied the accusations and claimed that he just followed the instruction of his team leader, Superintendent Rafael Dumlao.
The PNP has filed a complaint against Sta. Isabel and his alleged cohorts Dumlao, SPO4 Roy Villegas and PO2 Christopher Baldovino, all members of the PNP-Anti Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG).
Dumlao was earlier relieved and placed under restrictive custody while the investigation is ongoing.
Sta. Isabel and Villegas, meanwhile, were brought Tuesday at the Pampanga court for the return of their arrest warrant.
Dela Rosa said Sta. Isabel must remain under the PNP custody in Camp Crame custodial center for his protection while waiting for the commitment order to be issued by the court.
"Under threat itong tao na ito. Hindi ito pwedeng dyan lang sa kulungan ng Angeles City. Kailangan mag-manifest tayo doon na dito siya sa Crame makukulong," he said.
NBI agents involved
The PNP Chief likewise said that they are still looking into the involvement of two NBI agents based on Baldovino’s statement in which he identified a certain “Jerry” and another NBI officer.
“Meron din naman tayong source sa NBI na nagconfirm na meron talagang…NBI asset yun at driver pa nga ng isang director daw doon, so kinoconfirm naman nila. Parang dalawa [ang involved]. Aside from Jerry, merong hindi pa na-identify,” Dela Rosa said.
In a CCTV footage, Sta. Isabel was seen withdrawing money from an ATM machine in Greenhills, with Jerry behind him.
Dela Rosa said that aside from the NBI agents, there was also a group concern in the success of the victim’s abduction and killing.
“May mga grupo doon na pasulpot-sulpot eh, parang nagche-check sa trabaho nila, parang backup lang. Hindi niya ma-identify kasi iba-ibang sasakyan, sumusulpot lang daw, parang backup nila,” he said.
Reshuffle
Dela Rosa said he ordered a reshuffle on the ranks of the PNP-AIDG and Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), as he is not satisfied on how they handled the case before AKG chief Glenn Dumlao took office last December.
However, he said the director of both units will remain.
Dela Rosa said he also ordered the repeat on the background investigation on the police personnel who will be assigned in the two units.
“Siguruhin natin na lahat ng tao na involved sa anti-drug operations ay malinis...Uulit-ulitin ‘yung background investigation ng mga tao dyan. Kapag may mga problema tanggalin natin,” said Dela Rosa.
“Pati ‘yung sa AKG, dahil dissastisfied ako sa performance nila sa pag-handling ng kaso doon sa Koreano. Bakit antagal nagkaroon ng magandang development? Kung hindi pa nakaupo si Glenn Dumlao, hindi tatakbo ‘yung investigation nung kaso...[Kung] hindi ko pa dinidikdik araw-araw,” he added. (VoxPop Philippines)
