Korean’s killers at Camp Crame convicted; ‘brains’ cleared

MANILA, Philippines —  A Pampanga court has sentenced a police officer and a former aide at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to life in prison for the kidnapping and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo at Camp Crame in 2016.

The Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 60 found SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel and ex-NBI aide Jerry Omlang guilty for the kidnapping and homicide of Jee.

The two were also sentenced to imprisonment of 22 to 25 years for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of Jee’s housemaid, Marisa Morquicho, and for stealing the foreigner’s vehicle.

A report over ABS-CBN News said the alleged mastermind, Lt. Col. Rafael Dumlao – a former official of the defunct Philippine National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) – was acquitted by the court after prosecutors failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The STAR called Jee’s widow, Choi Kyung Jin, for her comments about the court’s decision but her staff said she was not available to answer questions.

“She is not OK,” Choi’s staff said in a phone interview.

The murder of the South Korean was an incident that put the Philippine National Police in a bad light as the killing occurred at the PNP’s headquarters at Camp Crame.

On Oct. 18, 2016, Jee and Morquicho were arrested at his residence in Angeles City in Pampanga by unidentified men, who later turned out to be members of the defunct PNP-AIDG.

Morquicho was freed while Jee was brought to Camp Crame on allegations that he was involved in illegal drugs. The motive of the perpetrators was money, as they allegedly demanded a ransom of P8 million for his release.

A resolution from the Department of Justice (DOJ) showed the foreigner was strangled to death inside Camp Crame.

An investigation showed Jee was killed in the evening of Oct. 18 in his black Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle parked near the Police Community Relations Group (PCRG) compound, several meters away from the PNP headquarters.

Jee was then brought to a funeral parlor in Caloocan City where his body was cremated and his ashes flushed down a toilet.

The DOJ, in 2017, indicted Sta. Isabel, Executive Master Sergeant Roy Villegas, Ramon Yalung and four other individuals, one of them using the alias “Sir Dumlao.”

Villegas, who later turned state witness, identified Dumlao as the mastermind. Dumlao was detained at the PNP Custodial Center but was later allowed by an Angeles Regional Trial Court to post bail in 2019.