Court orders reinvestigation of Jee Ick-joo kidnap-slay case

The Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 58 has ordered a reinvestigation of the Jee Ick Joo kidnap-slay case.

In a two page order, Angeles City Pampanga RTC Judge Irineo P. Pangilinan Jr. gave the prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) 60 days to finish the reinvestigation.

Accused Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, SPO4 Roy Villegas and Ramon Yalung all sought a reinvestigation of the kidnapping for ransom with homicide case filed against them.

The accused in their motion said they were deprived of their constitutional right to due process after the DOJ filed the non-bailable case before the court without giving them the opportunity to file their counter-affidavit in a preliminary investigation.

Sta. Isabel said the DOJ hastily filed the case in court last Jan. 17 when he was notified that the hearing for his submission of answer was set on Feb. 6 and 13.

“Accused herein invokes his right to due process and humbly asks this Honorable Court to accord him such fundamental right under our laws. It is clear from the records that accused SPO3 Sta. Isabel was not given the chance to attend the scheduled hearings and submit his Counter-Affidavit simply because the DOJ hastily rendered a Resolution finding probable cause against him. As such, he should not be deemed to have waived his right to a preliminary investigation,” Sta. Isabel said.

The court set the arraignment on April 19, 2017. JE/rga