Police operatives have rescued a kidnapped Korean businessman and arrested four suspected kidnap-for-ransom operators, including three Korean nationals.
Two immigration agents and three National Bureau of Immigration agents are now the object of a nationwide manhunt for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of Lee Jung Dae, who was forcibly abducted by the suspects from his house in Pampanga.
Arrested were three Koreans identified as Cha Jae Young, Cha Jae Su, and Kim Min Kwan, and Filipino driver Raymond Flores. Being pursued were immigration agents identified as Carlos Garcia and Apollo Calingasan, and three still-unidentified NBI agents.
The fourth suspect, Kim Min Kwan, alias Michael Lim, was collared near his condominium unit in Ermita, Manila.
“They actually kidnapped four Koreans on November 24. Aside from Lee Jung Dae, they also took three of his Korean employees,” said Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa, who led the presentation of the arrested suspects to the media.
Dela Rosa identified the three other victims as Kim Dae Hyun, Jung Ju Wan and Kim Woo Min.
Lee was rescued in a parking lot in front of the Bureau of Immigration office in Intramuros, Manila, after Lee’s girlfriend, who claimed she already paid P1.2 million for the release of the Korean, sought the help of police.
According to PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group Director Glenn Dumlao, Lee’s girlfriend delivered the payment in a mall in Angeles, but Lee was not released, and was later transported to Intramuros as the suspects demanded another P1.2 million.
The police said the Koreans were part of a kidnapping syndicate victimizing fellow Koreans involving some Immigration and NBI agents.
However, the NBI denied their agents were involved in the kidnapping of Lee.
NBI Director Dante Gierran said he has already formed a team to investigate and verify the statements issued by the PNP in a press briefing that implicated the NBI agents.
Gierran said he already has the report from the NBI Regional Director and Acting Assistant Regional Director of the NBI-Central Luzon Regional Office, which has jurisdiction over Angeles in Pampanga, showing that all NBI Agents assigned in Pampanga were all accounted for.
The report said there was no NBI operation conducted in Angeles that was participated in by any NBI agents or personnel of CELRO or those of any of the District Offices in Pampanga.
However, Lee’s girlfriend told police that Immigration operatives entered their apartment, presented a warrant of arrest and mission order indicating that Lee violated the immigration law, and handcuffed the victim.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente then tasked the bureau’s own intelligence operatives to locate the BI agents concerned.
“The BI has commenced its investigation for possible administrative charges for grave misconduct, absence without leave and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service against the two BI personnel,” he said.