(Eagle News) — The Department of Justice is recommending the filing of a kidnapping for ransom with homicide case in court against three police officers involved in the abduction and killing of Korean national Jee Ick Joo last year.
Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Laroza Torrevillas found probable cause to charge SPO3 Ricky Sta Isabel, Ramon Yalung and two other police officers for the October 18, 2016 abduction and killing of Korean businessman Ji Ick Joo.
What was more surprising and damning for the police was the fact that the killing of the Korean happened inside Camp Crame, the Philippine National Police’s headquarters.
This led the PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa to issue a profound apology to the South Korean government in a television interview.
The Korean was even cremated in the PNP crematorium.
Also recommended to be charged in court was PO4 Roy Villegas who claimed he and another policeman were misled by Sta. Isabel into believing that they were conducting a legitimate anti-drug operation.
The DOJ also recommended the conduct of a preliminary investigation for illegal detention against the cop suspects who also abducted the Korean’s Filipino housemaid, Marisa Morquicho. She was set free by Sta. Isabel and his men.
According to the DOJ’s investigation, Ji was taken from his house in Angeles City, Pampanga by armed men aboard two black vehicles.
The Korean was then about to go to work when two cops dragged him into a black Ford Explorer.
Ji’s housemain who was also taken by the policemen said the cops also ransacked the bedroom of her boss.
As they were driving to Manila, the cops told the Korean that they had recovered a bag from his house that was allegedly full of illegal drugs.
Morquicj said that they also entered the Quezon City Memorial Circle grounds, and that she also noticed that they stopped by a place where there were several men wearing Tshirts marked “PULIS”.
The following day, October 19, she was released by the policemen.
She immediately reported the matter to Camp Crame.
Ji’s wife Kyungjin Choi also narrated in a separate statement the ransom negotiations that happened as soon as her husband was kidnapped.
The initial demand was P8 million. On Oct. 30, Choi said she paid an initial ransom of P5 million. She refused to give the additional P3 million after the abductors failed to push through with the promise to release her husband, and to present proof of life.
