THE Philippine National Police filed criminal charges Wednesday against three officials of the National Bureau of Investigation earlier implicated in the abduction and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo in October 2016.
In the complaint, the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group named as new respondents former NBI deputy director for investigation services Jose “Jojo” Yap; former National Capital Region director Ricardo Diaz and former Task Force against Illegal Drugs head Roel Bolivar in a supplemental criminal complaint filed with the Justice department panel of prosecutors reinvestigating the case.
The three NBI officials were implicated by Police Supt. Rafael Dumlao, the official of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group who allegedly masterminded the kidnapping of Jee. They were earlier relieved from their posts by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.
Also named new respondents are five employees of Gream funeral where Jee’s body was cremated–Epephany Gotera, Teodolito Macato Tarepe, Kevin Enriquez, Robert John Tobias and Bernardo Maraya.
In its earlier complaint, which was already filed before the Angeles City, Pampanga regional trial court, the AKG only named Senior Police Officer 2 Ricky Sta. Isabel, Senior Police Officer 4 Roy Villegas and Ramon Yalung as respondents along with four others with aliases “Sir Dumlao, Jerry, Ding and Pulis.”
The case was initially for kidnapping for ransom with homicide.
However, Judge Irineo Pangilinan Jr. of RTC Branch 58 ordered the reinvestigation of the case upon the plea of Sta. Isabel, who pointed to Dumlao as brains in the kidnapping.
In the amended complaint, the AKG now also named Dumlao as a respondent along with Gerardo Santiago and Jerry Omlang.
Santiago, the retired police officer who owns the Gream funeral parlor where Jee’s body was cremated, has applied for the witness protection program after surrendering to the NBI.
Omlang, an errand boy in the NBI who also surrendered and confessed to his participation in the crime, also sought protection from the bureau.
Santiago and Omlang backed the claim of Sta. Isabel that it was Dumlao who masterminded the kidnapping and killing of Jee.
The new complaint also amended the charges to kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention with homicide, robbery, car theft, falsification and obstruction of justice.
The DoJ panel composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Juan Pedro Navera and Olivia Torrevillas gave the respondents until the next hearing on March 2 to submit their answers and file counter-affidavits.