Funeral parlor owner needs to be included in arrest order

Funeral parlor owner Gerardo Santiago (right), who cremated Korean Jee Ick Joo’s remains, was put under NBI bustody after arriving from Canada early Friday.
(Photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) should submit a supplemental affidavit to the Pampanga court to formally include Gerardo Santiago, owner of Gream Funeral Services, in the arrest warrant on the kidnap-slay of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo, according to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

Santiago came home to the Philippines from Canada on Friday morning and was escorted by agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The former policeman and current chairman of Barangay 165 was tagged by SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, primary suspect in the case, as the owner of the funeral home where he brought Jee’s body.

In the arrest warrant issued by an Angeles City court and served to Sta. Isabel on Jan. 20, four men were known only by their aliases: “Jerry,” “Sir Dumlao,” “Pulis,” and “Ding.”

“With alias Ding, which is Santiago’s nickname, the Public Attorney’s Office or the complainant (PNP)… should execute a supplemental affidavit to clearly state who Ding really is in the warrant,” Aguirre told reporters.

He added that the case should be remanded to clarify the names and identify the personalities only known by their aliases.

As of Saturday, Santiago remained under the protective custody of the NBI. He did not yet have a lawyer and had refused to answer questions from media. /ATM

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