JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Tuesday that it is premature to accept the request of Gerardo Gregorio Santiago, the funeral parlor owner who was one of those implicated in the killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, to be included in the Witness Protection Program.
Aguirre said the government is not ready at this time to accept Santiago’s request since the joint probe conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police has yet to be completed.
“We are not yet ready to offer him that. The joint investigation is yet to be completed,” Aguirre said, whose department administers the WPP.
Santiago is the owner of the Gream funeral parlor where the body of Jee was brought after he was killed in Camp Crame.
During last week’s reinvestigation of the case before the DoJ, Santiago’s lawyer Restituto Mendoza told the prosecution panel headed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera and Olivia Torrevillas that his client has applied for admission to the WPP.
Early this year, Santiago flew to Canada due to death threats he has been receiving since his name was implicated in the murder of Jee.
But he returned to the Philippines a few weeks later after coordinating with NBI officials.
The lawyer said that if his client’s request to be included under WPP will be granted, Santiago’s testimony would focus on Jee’s cremation, as he has denied any knowledge or involvement in the abduction and subsequent murder of Jee.
Santiago has maintained that he was told that the body, which turned out to that of Jee, was killed in an anti-drugs operation.
So far, Mendoza said his client has already turned over to the NBI his cellular phone that he used when SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel called that he would bring a body to his funeral parlor.
The NBI said, Santiago’s cellular phone will be subjected to forensic analysis.
Also, the footages taken by the CCTV at the funeral parlor has also been turned over to the NBI.
Under the WPP coverage, a witness is given several privileges, including provision for a housing facility or safe house that could be extended to members of his/her family, financial assistance, assistance in obtaining means of livelihood, payment equivalent of salary as compensation for absences from work, travel and medical expenses.
The family of witnesses who die while under the WPP will avail of death benefits, including free college education to their children.
