Pampanga cops in robbery-extortion of Korean tourists sacked

Seven police officers were sacked from their posts and placed under restrictive custody after allegedly robbing and extorting money from three Korean tourists recently, PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said on Tuesday.

Dela Rosa made the announcement amid the ongoing controversy over the heinous killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, who was allegedly abducted by policemen before being strangled to death inside Camp Crame in October.

The PNP chief cited similarities in the modus operandi of the Pampanga policemen and the group of Senior Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, the principal suspect in the Jee kidnap-slay.

“Merong pitong pulis ngayon doon na suspect sa robbery. Under restrictive custody yung pitong pulis na yan under their immediate superior,” Dela Rosa told reporters after talking with Region 3 police director Chief Superintendent Aaron Aquino.

Aquino said the sacked policemen were Police Officers 3 Arnold Nagayo, Roentjen Domingo, and Gomerson Evangelista; Police Officers 2 Richard King Agapito and Ruben Rodriguez; and Police Officers 1 Jayson Ibe and Mark Joseph Pineda.

Aquino added that Chief Inspector Wendel Arinas, commander of the Angeles City Police Office Station 5, and the deputy commander, Senior Inspector Rolando Yutuc were also relieved.

An incident report showed that the alleged robbery-extortion happened on December 30, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. on Apo Street in Angeles City.

The victims, identified as Park Min Hoon and Lee Ki Hoon, said the police officers took their cash, bags, shoes, a gold ring and a speaker.

They were allegedly brought to the police station, where they were beaten by the police officers.

The victims claimed the police officers demanded cash, amounting to P310,000, in exchange for their liberty.

They said the suspects threatened to kill them if they failed to produce the amount.

The Korean nationals identified the suspects through the personal data sheets shown to them by the investigators on January 4.

Dela Rosa said he would not order the transfer of the seven policemen to Camp Crame.

“Doon muna [sa Angeles] harapin nila ang administrative case nila para ma-dismiss kaagad,” Dela Rosa said.

The PNP chief said the three Koreans went to the country to play golf.

The seven police officers allegedly barged into their home and accused them of involvement in illegal online gambling.

“Nung wala silang nakuhang ebidensya doon pinagnanakaw nila yung gamit ng mga Koreano then ngayon dinala sa istasyon yung tatlong hinuli at hiningan pa ng P200,000,” Dela Rosa said.

He said the three Koreans already left the country but have executed affidavits.

“Nakunan ng affidavit yung mga Koreano but still umuwi sila dahil ayaw na magfile ng criminal case. Pero yung kanilang affidavit gagamitin namin ‘yun sa administrative case para madismiss itong mga pulis na ito,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa said the PNP was checking the if there was a connection between the Pampanga group and Sta. Isabel.

“Almost pareho (ng modus operandi). Pinasok doon sa bahay in the pretext na magraid sila ng illegal online gaming tapos walang nakitang ebidensya pinagnanakaw yung mga gamit, sapatos. Iba ito pero check pa natin yung mga connections nila,” Dela Rosa said. —NB/ALG, GMA News