Missing Korean’s ashes flushed in toilet?

MANILA, Philippines - Kidnapped South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo’s body may not be found at all, sources in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said last night.

NBI agents rushed to a funeral parlor in Bagbaguin, Caloocan City, where Jee’s body was allegedly brought.

Sources said the NBI agents rounded up the embalmer and other employees for interrogation.

Chief Superintendent Roberto Fajardo, Northern Police District director, confirmed that five of the funeral parlor’s employees were taken by the NBI for questioning.

He said he deployed personnel to assist the NBI.

Sources said the funeral parlor cremated Jee’s body upon orders from a certain “Boss.”

The cremation was reportedly done after Jee was kidnapped from his home in Friendship Plaza Subdivision in Angeles City, Pampanga on Oct. 18, 2016.

Upon learning that Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel – accused of masterminding the kidnapping – surrendered to the NBI Sunday night, the funeral parlor workers “panicked” and allegedly received orders from the “Boss” to throw away the ashes, a source said.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Sta. Isabel was protected by a “Bossing” who is a retired police general, but did not name him.

A source said Jee’s ashes were flushed into the funeral parlor’s toilet bowl.

The NBI is set to conduct a follow-up operation at the funeral parlor today.

Assistant city police chief Superintendent Ferdinand del Rosario identified the funeral parlor as Gream Funeral Homes on San Luis street.

The establishment is reportedly owned by Barangay 165 chairman Ding Santiago, a former policeman.

A source said Santiago was charged several years ago after his men were caught by policemen dumping a summary execution victim.

Another source said he was reportedly involved in kidnapping when he was in the service.

Police said Santiago was on leave prior to Jee's kidnapping and is supposed to return to work on Feb. 10.

Del Rosario, who conducted an ocular inspection of the funeral parlor last night, said the body would have been cremated elsewhere since the establishment does not have a crematorium.

DOJ to issue lookout bulletin

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to issue a lookout bulletin order (LBO) against the nine suspects in Jee’s kidnap.

Before DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said before he could issue the LBO, one of the suspects – a retired police official – has left the country.

Aguirre confirmed that the LBO would cover Sta. Isabel. He has been charged and placed under restrictive custody.

“Even if he (Sta. Isabel) already surrendered, there is still a chance for him to leave because there is no existing hold departure order (HDO) against him. That’s why we need to issue the LBO,” he explained in a phone interview.

An LBO would require the suspects to ask permission from the DOJ if they want to travel abroad. It is issued for monitoring purposes. An HDO issued by a court, on the other hand, would totally prohibit them from leaving the country.

Aguirre also said the preliminary investigation of the DOJ on charges of kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention was concluded after the suspects failed to appear in hearings despite repeated summons by investigating prosecutor.

Jee, a former executive at shipping firm Hanjin, was taken on Oct. 18, 2016. His family paid P5 million ransom on Oct. 31 but he was never released.

The abductors asked for an additional P4 million but failed to produce proof of life, prompting the family to seek police assistance.

Jee’s wife, Choi Kyunghin, has offered a P100,000 reward to anyone who can help find her husband. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Edu Punay