ABOUT 30 tourist police officers in Lapu-Lapu City will start learing to speak and read basic Korean starting Nov. 22.
Two Korean volunteers were provided by the Korean community after last week’s dialog with the police, said Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, Lapu-Lapu City police chief.
Two-hour lessons will be given on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 8 days.
Priority was given to Lapu-Lapu City police since the city in Mactan island is the gateway to Cebu and has the largest Korean community.
Meanwhile, a Korean businessman and three Filipinos will face trial for the Oct. 24 kidnap for ransom of another Korean and his live-in partner in barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
The offense is non-bailable.
The case was elevated to the Regional Trial Court.
Charges of kidnapping with ransom were filed against Song Sung Heum, Leonard Bulabon, Gregorio Dealagdon, and Richard Dealagdon, who are in police custody.
The four accused were arrested by police last Oct. 24 for allegedly kidnapping 28-year-old Korean national Jun Hyung Chung and his Filipina live-in partner Charise Santiago.
Denials of the accused were set aside in favor of the “positive assertion” by the complainant.
The prosecutor said testimonies of Heum and Richard formed a chain of “circumstantial evidence.”
“Heum provided the possible motive by admitting that he has an existing spat with the victim, owing from the latter’s gambling debt,” said Assistant City Prosecutor Rhodna Bacatan. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol and Correspondent Jucell Marie P. Cuyos