DOJ sets reinvestigation of Jee Ick-joo slay case on Feb. 3

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has set the reinvestigation on the death of South Korean executive Jee Ick-joo.

Summons have been issued against all the respondents as well as the complainants at a preliminary investigation set on Feb. 3.

Required to appear on Feb. 3 are Senior Police Officer 3 (SPO3) Ricky Sta. Isabel, striker from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Jerry Omlang, Jee’s househelp Marisa Dawis Morquicho, Christopher Alan Gruenberg, Superintendent Rafael Dumlao, SPO4 Roy Villegas, SPO4 Ramon Yalung, PO2 Christopher Baldovino and Gerardo “Ding” Santiago, owner of Gream Funeral Homes.

The DOJ also issued a subpoena to the NBI Investigators Attys. Julio Cajigan, Eufemio Martines, Emelito Santos, Agent Mamerto Tello, Special Investigators Nestor Gutierrez and Allan Elepante, Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Kidnapping Group head Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao, Jee’s wife Kyungjin Choi, PNP-AKG member SPO3 Reynaldo Curampez and Senior Inspector Jonathan Rabanal.

The DOJ is conducting a reinvestigation upon orders of the Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 58 granting Sta. Isabel, Villegas and Yalung’s motion.

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

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 DOJ has 60 days to complete the reinvestigation. JE