The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is looking into the abduction of a Korean businessman by eight persons including an active member of the Philippine National Police-Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (PNP-AIDG).
According to NBI-National Capital Region (NCR) regional director Rick Diaz, cases of serious illegal detention and kidnapping were filed by the PNP against the suspects before the Department of Justice (DoJ) last November, 2016.
He added that the NBI is now also investigating carnapping, robbery, and all other cases related to the abduction of businessman Jee Ick-joo, 53.
The victim was snatched from his residence on Arayat Street in Friendship Plaza Subdivision, Angeles City, Pampanga, on October 18, 2016.
The victim’s wife Choi Kyung-Jin also appeared at the NBI yesterday to appeal to the public for help in the recovery of her husband.
She is offering a reward money of P100,000 to anyone who can give information on the whereabouts of her husband.
The abductors kidnapped Jee and their household helper Marissa Dawis on the pretext that they were conducting a drug raid. The armed men also took the victim’s personal belongings including pieces of jewelry and their passports, and his black Ford Explorer.
Dawis was reportedly released unharmed by the abductors the following morning in Cubao, Quezon City and was given P1,000 for her fare.
According to Choi, the kidnappers asked her to produce P8 million in exchange for her husband’s freedom. The ransom went down to P5 million after negotiation.
Choi said she, with her nephew, met with the kidnappers and gave them R5 million on October 31 but they did not give her proof that her husband was still alive.
The kidnappers then asked for additional P4.5 million to which she can’t produce anymore, prompting her to seek the assistance of the NBI.
The NBI said they cannot divulge the name of the police involved in the kidnapping as PNP director Ronald Dela Rosa should be the one to reveal this information. (Argyll Geducos)