MANILA—Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to provide security to the family of Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, a police officer tagged as one of the suspects in the kidnap-slay of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.
This was after the Sta. Isabel’s wife Jinky claimed that the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group – Pampanga (AIDG) head Superintendent Raphael Dumlao called her saying they were planning to tag another policeman in the crime and they would all be spared later on.
Sta. Isabel’s wife met and claimed that Dumlao and PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group head Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao asked her to convince her husband to just follow the supposed “script” on the case of Jee’s case.
She has already submitted to the NBI a recording of the said phone conversation with Dumlao, according to Aguirre.
“Very serious ang mga threats nito, kaya ang ginawa ko ay kinausap ko si Jinky kung anong gusto niyang proteksyon at sinabihan ko na din ang NBI na tingnan ito kung paano sila mapo-proteksyunan,” he said in radio interview.
Aguirre said Sta. Isabel and his wife submitted an affidavit last Friday to the NBI saying that he was just framed up for the crime.
The DOJ chief said Sta. Isabel in his affidavit also said he could not have been in Angeles City, Pampanga during the time that Jee and his housemaid were taken from his residence last Oct. 18 since he attended a meeting with Police Supt. Raphael Dumlao of the PNO Anti-Illegal Drugs Group.
“Sinabi nya na noong araw na iyun, Oct. 18, inutusan pa nga sya ni Supt. Dumlao na samahan ang anak nito (Dumlao) at may bibilhin sa isang branch ng National Bookstore sa Metro Manila at pinakita nya din doon ang resibo,’ he said adding that Sta. Isabel’s statement was also supported by his wife, Jinky, who told the NBI that the vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, used in the surveillance and the actual abduction of the South Korean businessman was not hers contrary to earlier reports.
Aguirre said Jinky also presented to the NBI evidences that her Hilux had a carrier and conduction sticker while the one used in the kidnapping as shown in CCTV footages has none.
“She submitted proof supporting her husband’s defense, particularly a CCTV footage showing two identical Hilux units with the same license plate number and color but have a few differences,” he explained.
Jinky also submitted to the NBI CCTV footages showing the alleged visits by Dumlao (Rafael) and Senior Supt. Allan Macapagal of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group to their house.
“Parehas na sasakyan may parehas na lisence plate numbers pero ayon kay Jinky Sta. Isabel ang ginamit sa kidnapping ay gumamit lang ng pekeng license plate number. Baka ito ay kambal plaka pero iimibestigahan pa natin ito,” Aguirre said.
“Talagang dapat tingnan ang mga sinasabi ni Jinky Sta. Isabel at ang kanyang asawa na talagang siya ay fall guy lamang dito o piniframe-up,’ he added.
Aguirre said the NBI has now included in their investigation on the case Dumlao and Senior Supt. Glen Dumlao, the acting chief of the anti-kidnapping group.
He also raised the possibility that higher ranking police officials might be involved in the case though Aguirre did not elaborate.
In the same interview, Aguirre also said the NBI found that the golf set that was confirmed as owned by the slain South Korean businessman was not recovered at the Gream Funeral Services in Caloocan City where Jee’s body was reportedly taken after he was killed.
The PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group earlier said its men recovered the golf set at the said funeral parlor.
“Ayon sa sabi ng NBI, nang i-search nila ang place, wala ang golf set na iyan pero nang sumunod na araw nang pumunta ang mga pulis, biglang sinabi ng ga pulis na nakakuha sila ng golf set dun sa loob ng punerarya,” he said adding that the golf set might have been planted by the policemen.
He added that the NBI’s claim was also supported by statements by workers at the said funeral parlor.
Choi Kyunghin, wife of Jee, 53, said his husband was forcibly taken by eight armed men on Oct. 18 from his residence and has not been located until now.
His family paid PHP5 million ransom money on Oct. 30 but he was never released.
The abductors asked for an additional PHP4 million but failed to produce proof that the victim is still alive, prompting Choi to seek police’s assistance.
Last Jan. 17, the NBI, together with the Caloocan police went to the funeral parlor after receiving information that Jee’s body was taken there on the same day he was abducted on Oct. 18, 2016. No body was recovered as Jee’s body had been cremated last year.