Cop accused in Jee Ick-Joo slay asks court for temporary liberty

PNP Supt. Raphael Dumlao during the Senate Hearing on the murder of Korean National Jee Ick Joo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ

A former anti-narcotics operative accused of kidnapping for ransom with homicide for the death of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo asked the Angeles City Pampanga Regional Trial Court Branch 58 to allow his temporary liberty.

In his three-page petition for bail made public Monday, Superintendent Rafael Dumlao III urged the court that he be allowed to post bail for his temporary liberty.

He said the evidence against him were not strong enough, saying that his counter-affidavit showed that he was able to defend his innocence.

“In view of the foregoing and in the interest of justice, it is respectfully prayed unto this Honorable Court to admit accused PSupt. Rafael P. Dumlao III to bail at such amount that the Honorable Court may fix,” Moldez II Aldave, Dumlao’s counsel, said in a statement.

“For failure to establish the participation of Accused Dumlao vis-a-vis all the elements of the crimes charged, the evidence against the accused is rendered weak — at the very least — and gives ground for the grant of bail,” Aldave added.

Dumlao, in his counter-affidavit, denied masterminding the abduction and killing of Jee.

“The testimony of witnesses and records of the investigation have no showing that I performed any overt act that would make me liable for the crime of kidnapping for ransom and illegal detention with homicide. It is crystal clear that I was never present in the kidnapping and/or detention of the victims, including the event of his eventual demise,” Dumlao said in his counter-affidavit.

Dumlao’s co-accused include Senior Police Office 3 (SPO3) Ricky Sta. Isabel and SPO4 Roy Villegas, NBI striker Jerry Omlang and Gream Funeral Services owner Gerardo Gregorio Santiago as accessory.

All the accused have been arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the crime of kidnapping for ransom with homicide.

The court will hear his petition on July 17, 2017. With reports from Theodore Jason Patrick Ortiz, INQUIRER.net trainee/JE