Kidnapping and killing of Jee Ick-Joo | |
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Part of the Philippine Drug War | |
Location |
Kidnapping: Angeles, Pampanga Body discovered: Camp Crame, Quezon City, Philippines |
Date | October 18, 2016 |
Attack type
|
Kidnapping, Extortion, Killing |
Deaths | Jee Ick-Joo |
Victims | 1, Jee Ick-Joo |
Perpetrators | ca. 8 |
Suspected perpetrators
|
1, househelp |
Motive | extortion, robbery |
Accused | Ricky Santa Isabel, et al. |
Jee Ick-Joo | |
Hangul | |
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Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Ji Ik-ju |
McCune–Reischauer | Chi Ig-chu |
Jee Ick-Joo was a South Korean businessman who was kidnapped on October 18, 2016 and later found dead within the grounds of Camp Crame, the headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
South Korean Jee Ick-Joo, a businessman, along with his house helper, was reportedly kidnapped by two unidentified men from Jee's residence in Friendship Plaza Subdivision, Angeles, Pampanga on October 18, 2016. After their arrest, the kidnappers—who turned out to be members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).—accused Jee of being involved in the illegal drug trade. Jee's wife, Choi Kyung-jin, made the statement that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 8 million Philippine pesos, and she reportedly paid 5 million Philippine pesos on October 30, 2016. She said she did not give the kidnappers the remaining 3 million Philippine pesos when they failed to present proof that Jee was still alive. The house helper was released the day after she and Jee were kidnapped.
Philippine authorities held an investigation into Jee's death, the result of which was relayed to South Korean authorities. The result of the investigation stated that Jee died due to strangulation, on the same day he was kidnapped, within the grounds of Camp Crame of the PNP. On January 17, 2017, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) went to a funeral parlor in Bagbaguin, Caloocan where the body of Jee Ick-Joo was believed to have been brought. His remains were cremated and his ashes were flushed down the toilet.
Jee Ick-Joo's wife said that eight armed men, including SPO3 Ricky Santa Isabel, who is linked to the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group, were involved in the kidnapping. She alleged that the group took their personal property, including jewelry and passports. Jee's househelper was also named as a suspect by the Angeles city police after she was found to have used a false name and been working at Jee's household for only two days. The house helper is the main witness in the case.