Foreign person of interest in Jee Ick Joo slay detained

MANILA, Philippines — A Korean national, named as a person of interest in Jee Ick Joo kidnap-slay case, is currently under government detention.

The Bureau of Immigration disclosed in a statement that 33-year-old Edward Yoo Hoon was arrested at his residence along Forest Street, Carmenville Subdivision, Angeles City, Pampanga on Monday, September 18.

BI Fugitive Search Unit head Bobby Raquepo said Hoon "was tagged as person of interest in the Jee case after informants claimed that he arranged the payoff of the P5-million ransom money that the victim’s wife gave the kidnappers."

In a resolution released by the Department of Justice, Jee was strangled to death inside the police headquarters in Quezon City. Tagged a mastermind and principal suspect in the case is Superintendent Rafael Dumlao III.

Dumlao and several others are currently undergoing trial for the kidnapping with homicide case filed by DOJ at the Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 58.

Hoon was served with a warrant of deportation by BI FSU agents for being an overstaying and undocumented alien.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said Hoon "had been staying in the country for more than 10 years already because according to the deportation order he became an overstaying and an undocumented alien [since] Jan. 30, 2016."

Morente, however, said that despite deportation order, Hoon will first undergo investigation for his reported involvement in the kidnap-slay of Jee.

"He will be deported only after he has served his sentence, if convicted, of the crime," Morente added.

Hoon is currently in detention at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.