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Jee kidnap-slay case respondents given until March 10 to submit counter affidavits
By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan

MANILA, March 2 (PNA) -- The Department of Justice (DoJ) extended the filing of counter affidavits of some respondents in the reinvestigation of the kidnap-slay case of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.

During Thursday’s resumption of the hearing, the DOJ panel composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Juan Pedro Navera and Olivia Torrevillas, who handle the re-investigation on the kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention with homicide case directed the three National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officials who were implicated in the Jee Ick Joo kidnap-slay case to submit their counter affidavits on March 10.

“They have until March 10 at 2 p.m. to submit their counter affidavits,” the panel told former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Winston Ginez who is now serving as the legal counsel of former NBI deputy director for investigation services Jose "Jojo" Yap, former NBI-National Capital Region director Ricardo Diaz and former NBI-Task Force against Illegal Drugs head Roel Bolivar.

The three did not attend Thursday’s proceeding at the DOJ.

Ginez was also given a copy of the statement of former PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group-Pampanga (AIDG) head Superintendent Rafael Dumlao III, the alleged mastermind of the kidnap-slay.

Dumlao earlier implicated the three NBI officials in the case.

The former Pampanga PNP-AKG chief also subscribed to his affidavit but told the panel he will be still file a counter-affidavit.

The panel then directed Dumlao to submit his counter-affidavit on or before March 7.

The other new respondents - Gream funeral employees Epephany Gotera, Teodolito Macato Tarepe, Kevin Enriquez, Robert John Tobias and Bernardo Maraya - are also ordered to submit answers on March 7.

Except for the three NBI officials, all the other respondents-Dumlao, SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, who was tagged as the prime suspect in the case, SPO4 Roy Villegas, Gerardo Santiago, owner of the Gream funeral parlor, Jerry Omlang, and Ramon Yalung attended the hearing.

During the hearing, Sta.Isabel , Yalung, subscribed to their affidavits while Santiago and Villegas adopted the affidavit they executed.

To recall, the Jan. 17 resolution penned by Torrevillas only named three accused in the kidnapping for ransom with homicide case: Sta. Isabel, Villegas and Yalung while other suspects tagged in the case were identified only through aliases "Pulis," "Ding," "Jerry," and "Sir Dumlao."

The resolution was received by the Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 58. The local court granted primary suspect Sta. Isabel's request for reinvestigation.

RTC Judge Pangilinan gave the DOJ 60 days "to conduct the reinvestigation and to submit the resolution."

The court also reset the arraignment of the accused to April 19. (PNA)

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