NBI may file charges vs. PNP for statement on kidnapped Korean based on ‘unverified’ reports

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday said it is considering filing charges against the Philippine National Police (PNP) for issuing a statement based on "unverified" reports about the kidnapping of a South Korean in Angeles, Pampanga last Friday.

On Monday, PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa told the media that Lee Jung Dae had been kidnapped by fellow Koreans with the help of three members of the NBI as well as operatives from the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

According to Dela Rosa, Lee was held inside a vehicle parked inside the BI compound in Intramuros, Manila and was rescued by members of the PNP-AKG at around 2 a.m. Saturday.

In a statement, NBI Director Dante Gierran expressed "deep concern over the statement of the PNP Chief relative to the involvement of NBI Agents, which are all unverified reports by the PNP-Anti Kidnapping Group."

"In view of this, the NBI is now studying the filing of charges against the PNP for issuing statements to the media based on unverified reports the statements of which destroy the high credibility of the NBI," Gierran said.

The NBI chief emphasized that the agency's leadership over its agents adheres to a "high [standard] of ethics with stringent policies and procedures in the conduct of operations."

Gierran added that all NBI agents assigned to Pampanga are all accounted for, citing information submitted by the NBI Regional Director and Acting Assistant Regional Director of the NBI-Central Luzon Regional Office (CELRO).

"The report, likewise, stated that there was no NBI operation conducted in the area in Angeles Pampanga, that was participated in by any of NBI Agents or personnel of CELRO or in any of the District Offices, which operation involved a Korean citizen being apprehended or being forcibly taken into custody and detention, on the date of the incident where the victim, Lee Jung Dae, was kidnapped," the NBI's statement said.

GMA News Online has reached out to the PNP for comment.

Rescue ops

Dela Rosa said that the AKG has arrested three individuals who were guarding the victim. They were identified as Korean twin brothers Cha Jae Young and Cha Jae Sun, and Raymond Flores, a Filipino. Another suspect, identified as Kim Min, alias Michael Lim, was reportedly arrested in a follow-up operation in Padre Faura, Manila.

Kim supposedly told the AKG that a certain Carlos Garcia was his contact at the BI, while two more BI employees and the alleged three NBI agents are also part of the group.

The operation was conducted after Dela Rosa was informed of Lee's kidnapping while he was in Korea for a meeting with his counterparts.

The PNP reported that the suspects also kidnapped Lee's employees Kim Dae Hyun, Jung Ju Wan, and Kim Woo Min, who were released when Lee's  girlfriend delivered an initial P1.2 million in ransom.

The suspects then said they would release Lee after the payment of another P1.2 million.

Dela Rosa noted that Lee's kidnapping was "similar" to the case of  Jee Ick Joo, who was kidnapped and killed inside Camp Crame last year.

Dela Rosa said the AKG has yet to determine if the suspects are part of the same group that kidnapped Jee. "May similarity pero hindi masabing same group,” the PNP chief said.

Four NBI officials implicated in Jee's kidnapping were later removed from their posts. — BM, GMA News