Aguirre: Korean slay suspects can’t be nabbed yet

MANILA, Philippines – Superintendent Rafael Dumlao and several other personalities implicated in the kidnapping and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo cannot be arrested just yet, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said yesterday.

Aguirre said Dumlao, regional head of the Philippine National Police-Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) in Pampanga, cannot be arrested on the basis of the arrest warrant recently issued by the Angeles City regional trial court against Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel and other individuals identified in the kidnap-for-ransom with homicide case filed by the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG).

Dumlao reportedly left restrictive custody of the PNP in Camp Crame over the weekend with his wife after attending the Senate inquiry on Jee’s death last Thursday.

Aguirre explained the arrest warrant listed only a certain “Sir Dumlao” in its subjects and accused in the case and did not specify the complete name of the police official.

“There should first be a clarification from the court and amendment of the arrest warrant that will change the name ‘Sir Dumlao’ to ‘Supt. Rafael Dumlao’ before he could be put under arrest,” Aguirre said.

He stressed the same amendment of information is required for the other aliases in the case, among which were “Pulis,” “Jerry” and a certain “Ding.”

Aguirre revealed “Ding” has been identified as Gerardo Santiago, the retired police officer who owns the Gream funeral parlor in Caloocan City where Jee’s body was cremated.

The alias “Jerry,” on the other hand, is an asset of the National Bureau of Investigation and allegedly among those who forcibly took the Korean from his home in a supposed anti-drugs operation.

“This Jerry is a confidential informant of the NBI and he has a lot of things to tell on this case,” Aguirre said.

Both suspects have surrendered to the NBI. Santiago immediately turned himself in upon arrival from Canada.

Aguirre said probers are still determining the identity of alias “Pulis,” presumably also a police officer.

Aguirre said the AKG, which filed the complaint against Sta. Isabel, has already asked the DOJ to amend the aliases in the case filed in the Angeles RTC for the issuance of an arrest warrant against Dumlao and the two other identified accused.

He explained that once the information filed in court is amended, the PNP should wait for the issuance of the amended arrest warrant before Dumlao could again be taken into its custody. – With Alexis Romero