The family of the late Ji Ik-ju, who was kidnapped and murdered by local police seven years ago in Angeles, Philippines, asked Foreign Minister Park Jin to help uncover the truth about the incident.
Her wife, Choi Gyeong-jin, released a letter containing this content to the media today (30th), sent to Minister Park by registered post office.
In her first letter, Ms. Choi described how her husband was unjustly murdered by the local police and the pain she suffered as a result.
He said, “My husband was kidnapped from his home by active police officers, strangled to death in the parking lot of the National Police Agency, then incinerated at a crematorium and dumped in the toilet so that even his ashes could not be found. This was a heinous and outrageous incident.”
She also said, “In a situation where no one was helping me, I did my best to collect evidence to find my husband and even hired a detective. After that, I went into hiding due to threats to my life, prepared for the trial, and spent hellish years listening to the criminals’ lies.” “It was the pain of cutting my bones and cutting out my heart,” he added.
Mr. Choi pointed out that the Philippine authorities’ response to the incident was consistent with ‘cutting off the tail.’ He explained,
“At the beginning of the trial, there were about 15 criminals, including high-ranking NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) executives, but they were mostly released for insufficient reasons, and the number of criminals was reduced to five.”
Subsequently, two of the five criminals were adopted as state witnesses and were released or died of chronic illness. In the ensuing trial, two of the remaining three were sentenced to life imprisonment, but the former high-ranking police officer, who was in fact designated as the main culprit, was found not guilty.
Regarding this, Mr. Choi claimed, “The Philippine government has been cutting corners from the beginning,” and said, “I am spending every day in tears due to depression and excessive stress.”
She said, “The trial is over, but the case was covered up, the truth was not revealed, and I was not even compensated,” and appealed to Minister Park, saying, “I earnestly ask the Korean government to step forward to relieve my husband’s injustice and my pain.” .
In addition, he emphasized, “The reason why the truth about the incident and compensation are absolutely necessary is because it will serve as a shield to prevent Korean people from easily becoming targets of crime.”
In a press call, Mr. Choi said that he entered Korea on August 26, but did not meet Minister Park, and that he met with a director-level official in charge of protecting overseas nationals.
The late Ji Ik-ju was kidnapped and murdered by Philippine police officers at his home in Angeles on October 18, 2016.
After her husband died, Choi remained alone in the Philippines and made every effort to uncover the truth behind the incident and punish the culprit.
This incident shocked not only the Korean community at the time but also many Filipinos.
Not only did a serving police officer kidnap and kill an innocent Korean, but the cruel and meticulous method of the crime revealed during the investigation shocked many people.
Also, 12 days after the incident, an unidentified person demanded ransom and extorted 5 million pesos (approximately토토사이트 119 million won) from Choi, who did not know that her husband was murdered. The Kidnapping Investigation Department ( AKG
) of the Philippine National Police, which was in charge of investigating the case, identified a total of 14 suspects and sent them to the prosecution. However, the prosecution ultimately indicted only five of them on charges of hostage robbery, murder, and vehicle theft. After 84 hearings over a period of about 5 years and 8 months, Roy Villegas, a member of the National Police Agency Narcotics Enforcement Directorate ( PNP AIDG ), was adopted as a state witness and released in January 2019. Crematorium owner Gerardo Santiago contracted COVID-19 and died. Ultimately, in the first trial held on June 6 this year, the court sentenced Santa Isabel, a former police officer of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Jerry Omrang, a former NBI informant, to life imprisonment respectively. However, the court acquitted Rafael Dumrao, Isabel’s superior and former head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who was identified by the prosecution as the mastermind, and local media also raised questions about the ruling and the investigation of the facts of the case. Mr. Choi, who appeared in court at the time, was shocked and fainted when Dumrao was found not guilty, and the Koreans around him shed tears in sorrow. Since 2012, a total of 57 murders of Koreans have occurred in the Philippines, with 63 deaths. However, the murder case of the late Ji Ik-ju is the first time a prison sentence has been sentenced through a formal trial. (Photo = Provided by widow Choi Gyeong-jin, Yonhap News)