Police have 2 suspects in Korean trader’s slay

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Police have identified at least two suspects in the killing of a Korean car trader whose body bearing signs of torture was found hanging from a cliff in Aritao town last Wednesday.

Senior Superintendent Jesus Manubay, provincial police director, said one of the two suspects, a certain Lim from Alicia, Isabela, was the last person seen with the victim, Jeong Ga Chung, before he was reported missing on the night of Jan. 12.

The body of 52-year-old Jeong, whose company, Seoul Motors Corp., was engaged in car trading here, was found three days later. It bore three gunshot wounds and several stab wounds.

Manubay said Jeong was supposed to meet other people in Alicia for a business transaction on Jan. 12.

He said probers have ruled out kidnapping for ransom as a possible motive, and have been exploring the robbery and business angles.

"There were no circumstances that would direct us to conclude that his killing was related to kidnapping," he said, citing initial findings.

"We have heard reports that (Jeong) was double-crossed or somebody was double-crossed," he said. He declined to elaborate.

He said they are now coordinating with Jeong’s wife, also a South Korean national, in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, to gather more information.

"There’s a possibility that Jeong knew his assailants that’s why even their employees are considered suspects," Manubay said.

Police said Jeong was stripped of his cash and valuables and could have been killed elsewhere and his body merely dumped and his Kia Besta van abandoned near a 50-meter deep ravine in Barangay Kirang in Aritao town, some 35 kilometers from this capital town.

Recovered about 100 meters from the site were the victim’s personal belongings, including a wallet containing his temporary driver’s license, a photocopy of his visa, a notebook and a check for P50,000.