Korean kidnapping: 4 “kidnappers” face rap

CEBU, Philippines - A criminal complaint was filed yesterday against four people, including a Korean national, who were accused of kidnapping a compatriot and his live-in partner Wednesday last week.

Members of the Philippine National Police Anti-kidnapping Group in the region filed the complaint for kidnapping for ransom before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office against Song Sungheum, 32, native of Seoul South Korea; Leonard Bulabon, 31, of Lalibertad Negros Oriental; Gregorio Dealagdon, 40; and his cousin Richard Dealagdon, 36, both of Poblacion Aloguinsan, Cebu.

The suspects were accused of kidnapping Jun Hyung Chung, 28, and his live-in partner Charise Santiago, 24, on October 24.

The suspects signed a waiver of detention to avail of a preliminary investigation. They were given 10 days to submit their counter affidavit.

The victims were inside their residence at 168 3rd St., La Guardia, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City when two men arrived and introduced themselves as policemen. The victims said they were supposedly arrested because of a bomb allegedly found in their car.

Chung said he later found out that the people who came to arrest them were not policemen but kidnappers because they demanded P600,000 from him to buy their freedom.

Chung alleged that Sungheum masterminded their kidnapping. He said that he was already warned by a common friend that the suspect is planning to kidnap him.

“At one time when we played at the casino, he lost all his money and he was trying to blame it to me, so from there, he hates me so much and before this kidnapping incident. Mr. Sungheum was planning to kidnap me,” Chung said in his affidavit.

His live-in partner, Santiago, corroborated his claim.

Cebu City police director Ramon Melvin Buenafe said further investigation is being conducted into the incident as they believe that it involves a syndicate. According to Buenafe, the incident could be part of a scheme perpetrated by some Koreans to extort money from fellow Koreans.

Charlie Shin, vice-president of Cebu Korean Association, said that the Korean embassy is willing to assist both the victim and the respondent.

Shin however considered the incident as isolated and would not affect the Korean community in Cebu.— /FPL (FREEMAN)