Suspects in Jee Ick Joo’s murder ordered transferred to Angeles City Jail

A Pampanga court has ordered the transfer of detention of three accused in the death of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo from the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

In a four-page order made public on Wednesday, Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 56 Judge Irin Zenaida Buan ordered the transfer of Superintendent Rafael Dumlao, Senior Police Officer 3 (SPO3) Ricky Sta. Isabel and civilian Jerry Omlang to the Angeles City Jail.

Dumlao is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame while Sta. Isabel and Omlang are at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The prosecution has pushed for the transfer of detention of the accused to the Angeles City Jail which is nearest to the court conducting trial according to the rules.

Buan affirmed the position of the prosecution team led by Senior State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera stating that under the rules “an accused shall be delivered to the nearest police station or jail without necessary delay.”

“Considering the distance between this Court and the PNP Custodial Center as well as the NBI detention facility, it would be more practical for the accused to be detained at the city jail in order to facilitate their attendance during court hearings of their cases,” read the court’s ruling.

“As regards the claim of the accused that their transfer to and detention in the city jail will pose as a threat to their safety, security, and life, the Court holds that the said argument lacks sufficient basis,” the judge added.

The judge also reminded the court is duty-bound to comply with the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) Circular No. 76-2010 which “prohibits lower court from ordering the detention of an accused at the PNP Custodial Center.”

The three, along with retired policeman Gerardo Santiago, are facing charges of kidnapping for ransom with homicide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, and car theft.

Jee and his household helper, Marisa Morquicho, were abducted on Oct. 18, 2016 from his home in Friendship Plaza Subdivision, Angeles City under the pretext that police were conducting anti-illegal drugs operations under “Oplan Tokhang.”

He was strangled to death inside the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame on the same day he was kidnapped, his cremated remains reportedly flushed down the toilet. Morquicho was eventually released.

The other members of the DOJ prosecuting team are Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas, and Assistant State Prosecutor Ethel Rhea Suril.   /vvp