Suspects in Korean kidnap-slay case ordered arrested

MANILA, Philippines – A regional court in Pampanga ordered on Friday the arrest of the suspects behind the kidnapping and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.

The arrest warrant was released by Angeles RTC branch 58 today and will be served by the authorities against the alleged mastermind SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel.

Sta. Isabel is currently under the custody of National Bureau of Investigation after he surrendered last Saturday.

READ: DOJ: Korean businessman killed inside Camp Crame

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier said Sta. Isabel won’t be under the witness protection program since he was identified as the supposed killer of Jee.

Also facing charges of kidnapping for ransom with homicide are SPO4 Roy Villegas, SPO4 Ramon Yalung, and four people identified only under the aliases "Pulis," "Jerry," "Sir Dumlao" and "Ding."

Aguirre said the complaints were upgraded from kidnapping and serious illegal detention after Villegas gave his sworn statement identifying Sta. Isabel as the one who strangled and killed Jee in October 2016.

READ: PNP chief on killing at Crame: I could melt in shame

Jee was killed inside the Camp Crame after he was abducted in his residence in Angeles City, according to Villegas.

PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa confirmed the statement of Villegas and said he was embarrassed over the abuse of power in tha ranks.

"Very angry. Very offended. Kung pwede matunaw na ako sa kinalalagyan ko sa hiya (If I could only melt in shame from where I am now)," dela Rosa told reporters at Malacañan on Thursday.

"If I have my way, I would kill the policemen who are kidnappers. But I cannot do it because it's illegal," he added.