Choi Kyung-jin and her husband Jee Ick Joo. INQUIRER FILE
South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo was murdered as a warning to Korean and Chinese businessmen who refuse to pay extortion money to certain government officials, the Philippine National Police鈥檚 anti-kidnapping chief revealed.
鈥淭he motive behind it was to murder him,鈥� Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao, chief of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), told reporters in Camp Crame on Monday.
Dumlao said Jee was killed to instill fear among Korean and Chinese businessmen who refuse to pay extortion money to certain government officials. He did not identify the officials and the agencies they belong to.
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鈥淛ee was a straight person. Ayaw niya sa extortion,鈥� Dumlao said.
鈥淒ahil ayaw niya sa extorrtion, pati 鈥榶ung mga ibang legitimate na Korean and Chinese businessman, ayaw na ring magbayad sa mga nage-extort. Kaya 鈥榶an 鈥榶ung sinasabing mafia-style to kill a person to instill fear sa iba. That way, magbibigay na rin 鈥榶ung iba,鈥� the AKG chief added.
Dumlao said SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel and other suspects were a part of a bigger syndicate even as he reiterated that the 鈥淜orean mafia鈥� angle had not been established.
搁贰础顿:听鈥楰orean mafia鈥� angle in Jee kidnap-slay 鈥榓 stretch鈥欌�擫acson
Last October, Sta. Isabel and two other members of the defunct PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group strangled Jee to death inside the PNP headquarters after they took him from his home in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Sta. Isabel鈥檚 group then demanded ransom money from Jee鈥檚 wife Choi Kyung-jin. Choii, thinking Jee was still alive, paid P5 million. CBB/rga