Court junks frustrated murder charges against Korean, two Filipinos

CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the frustrated murder charges filed by two Korean businessmen against another Korean businessman and two residents of the city for frustrated murder.

Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor Evangeline Gicale approved the joint resolution recommended by Prosecutor Aida Castillo dismissing the case filed by Lee Dong Gun and Jong Ha Bok against Kim Jae Hyung, Rodenio Espiritu, and Felix Booc.

Both Espiritu and Booc, represented by their lawyer Gonzalo Malig-on, Jr., called a press conference yesterday to announce the dismissal of the case filed against them and Korean national Kim Jae Hyung.

Police filed frustrated murder charges against them based on the testimony of some witnesses linking them to the crime allegedly committed last October 31.

Police showed footages from a CCTV camera where Espiritu and Booc allegedly were present at the Pacific Villa 1 gate in barangay Pajac before the incident.

Espiritu was also reportedly seen firing his gun to the ground when the incident happened. Espiritu denied the charge.

Kim Jae Hyung was tagged as the alleged mastermind.

But Kim showed documents that proved he was in Korea at the time of the incident.

The city prosecutor’s office also noted that the pieces of evidence presented by the complainants against Espiritu did not establish his intent and participation in the ambush.

Booc had affidavits and documents that proved he was not in the place during the incident.

The complainants failed to establish that there was conspiracy between Kim Jae Hyung, Espiritu, and Booc in the ambush.

In yesterday’s press conference, both Espiritu and Booc said they were happy of the development because they were vindicated and which cleared their names.

Both admitted that their family were affected because of the incident linking their name.

They are planning to file perjury charges and damages against the complainants.

They also asked the police to be more prudent and diligent in their work so this kind of unfounded charges will not happen again to innocent individuals. – (FREEMAN)