Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre has talked with the wife of Senior Police Officer Ricky Sta. Isabel.
Sta. Isabel is one of the two policemen involved in the killing of Korean Han Jin executive Jee Ick Joo on October 18, 2016 reportedly inside Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Five other persons are involved in the case.
Aguirre refuses to disclose any details of his conversation with Sta. Isabel’s spouse.
After the meeting, the police officer’s wife went to the National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force.
Fellow policeman PO2 Christopher Baldovino had recounted in his affidavit that he joined the police operation in Jee’s Pampanga home because he thought it was about a campaign against illegal drugs.
Co-accused SPO4 Roy Villegas had said, he saw Sta. Isabel strangling and killing the South Korean right inside the PNP Headquarters.
Sta. Isabel is currently in the custody of the NBI.
Aguirre says, even if Sta. Isabel has been identified as Jee’s killer, he could still be accepted as a state witness since his testimony could implicate a “higher official” involved in the Jee’s abduction and death.
In a related development, Angeles Regional Trial Court has issued warrants of arrest against Sta. Isabel and Villegas.
The arrest warrants also covers four other persons whose identities have yet to be fully identified.
As of 3:30 pm Friday, a PNP team from Angeles City bearing the warrants is heading to the NBI to take custody of Sta. Isabel.
