PHP100,000 bounty out for kidnappers of S. Korean businessman
By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, Jan. 12 (PNA) -- The family of a South Korean national who was kidnapped in Angeles City, Pampanga last year offered PHP100,000 for any information that may lead to the arrest of suspects as well as the whereabouts of her husband.
In a press conference held at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday, Choi Kyunghin, wife of Jee Ick-joo, 53, who was forcibly taken on Oct. 18 from his residence and has not been located until now, appealed for help from the public in finding her husband.
â€Let the public known because it's already been three months since my husband was kidnapped. Hope with the help of media will know the investigation will go faster and the case is still ongoing,†Choi said through her South Korean interpreter.
She added the armed men took their personal property, passport and black Ford Explorer, noting that she heard her husband complaining of breathing difficulty at the time of abduction.
Choi together with her lawyer Atty. Brian Bantilan went to NBI-National Capital Region (NCR) Chief Ric Diaz to ask for help to tracking down his husband despite the PNP- Anti-Kidnapping Group's (AKG) take over of the probe on the case due to the alleged involevement of a former anti-narcotics policeman in the kidnapping incident.
The PNP-AKG refused to reveal the identity of the said policeman.
Diaz said they will still continue to investigate and look for any angle, including carnapping or robbery, noting that they will also identify other perpetrators of the crime.
â€The case was brought last November despite efforts of my unit, we cannot locate the whereabouts of her husband Jee-Ick, who is legit businessman (and) he was once with Hanjin, top executives. A policeman identified as one of the abductors. We are investigation for carnapping and robbery and identify perpetrators using the war on drugs to extort money,†Diaz told reporters.
For his part, Bantilan said that they already filed a case of kidnapping and serious of illegal detention before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the eight suspects including the former cop.
Bantilan said out of the eight respondents, three were identified and DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre already assigned a prosecutor who will handle the case.
The lawyer said that the incident has been reported as a kidnapping-for-ransom case after the victim’s wife said that she had already paid PHP5-million ransom last Oct. 31 but the abductors had demanded, and that the suspects were reportedly asking for another PHP4 million.
Bantilan said the family already asked the help from authorities since the suspects are asking again for ransom aside from the initial PHP5 million ransom that they paid.
On Wednesday, PNP Chief, Police Director General Ronald M. Dela Rosa has mobilized PNP operating units for manhunt operations against a former anti-narcotics policeman who is believed to be involved in the kidnapping of a South Korean businessman in Angeles City .
Dela Rosa directed the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) to vigorously pursue the case and arrest the suspects, with the help of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
He also directed the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) to organize manhunt teams to locate and bring to restrictive custody the AWOL policeman identified as a former member of the PNP-AIDG who has since been reassigned with the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU) of the Headquarters Support Service effective Nov. 21, 2016.
AKG investigators have identified the suspects from security camera footages taken during the victim’s alleged kidnapping. (PNA)
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