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Accused cop turns state witness in Jee Ick Joo kidnap-slay case


A Pampanga court has granted the plea of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to discharge as state witness one of the accused in the criminal cases involving the abduction and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo in October 2016.

Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 58 Judge Irineo Pangilinan Jr. ruled in a January 3, 2018 joint order that SPO4 Roy Villegas has satisfied all the requirements to become state witness such as the absolute necessity for the accused's testimony, lack of direct evidence for the proper prosecution of the case, and that the accused should not appear to be the most guilty.

The accused's testimony also must be "substantially corroborated on its material points" and he should not have been convicted of any offense that has attained finality.

"[O]n the face of the prosecution's evidence in support of its motion to discharge accused Villegas, it appears that while accused Villegas had active participation in the alleged carnapping, abduction of victims Jee Ick Joo and Marisa Morquicho as most of his co-accused had been, accused Villegas had no direct participation in the actual killing of victim Jee Ick Joo," the order read.

"In addition, there are also several unidentified culprits, at large, whose degree and participation are yet to be ascertained to complete the missing puzzle of the cases," it added.

Jee was abducted, along with his househelp, from his Angeles City home on October 18, 2016, by armed men allegedly pretending to be carrying out an anti-drug operation. He was strangled to death inside the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame on the same day, his cremated remains reportedly flushed down the toilet.

Following the DOJ's preliminary investigation, Villegas was charged in court with kidnapping with homicide along with former anti-narcotics operative Superintendent Rafael Dumlao III, SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, National Bureau of Investigation errand boy Jerry Omlang, and funeral home owner Gerardo Santiago.

Villegas was also among those indicted for the abduction of Jee’s househelp, Marisa Morquicho, and for taking away Jee's SUV. 

In finding probable cause against the accused, the DOJ cited Villegas' affidavit where he confirmed that it was Dumlao who masterminded the kidnapping and killing of Jee, together with Sta. Isabel, an alias Jerry, an alias Pulis and five other men.

The court said Villegas' testimony is "absolutely necessary" to prove the charge of conspiracy against all the other accused.

"Villegas has the capacity to testify unto certain facts necessary for the conviction of the accused, being physically present at the crime scene, and having directly participated thereon,” the court said.

"While the prosecution has already presented a material witness in the person of Morquicho, her testimony is very limited as it is only confined to the alleged carnapping, kidnapping of victims Jee Ick Joo and Morquicho, but not on the actual killing of Jee Ick Joo. She cannot therefore identify who among the accused consummated the killing of victim Jee Ick Joo, or who conspired with whom," the order stated.

Without such testimony from Villegas, there would be no other direct evidence that may establish the role and participation of the co-accused in the businessman's killing, according to the court.

“We are happy with this development and I’m sure Mrs. Choi (Jee’s wife) would be, too,” said Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, who is handling the case.

Villegas’ presentation as state witness was set for January 11. —KBK, GMA News

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