After Jee Ick Joo slay in Crame, Lacson says it’s time to act on PNP abuses

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday urged Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa to ensure that there will be no repeat of the “tokhang for ransom” and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.

Lacson, a former chief of the PNP, made the remark following Dela Rosa's confirmation that Jee was killed inside Camp Crame, the national headquarters of the PNP.

“I hope na ang kaso ng Koreanong dinukot at pinatay at hiningan ng ramsom ay hindi maulit pa dahil si Dela Rosa na mismo ang nagsabi na gusto na niyang matunaw sa kahihiyan,” Lacson said in a text message.

Dela Rosa said he was livid and ashamed that Jee was killed inside the police camp.

"Very angry. Very offended. Kung pwede lang matunaw ako ngayon sa kinalalagyan ko sa hiya," Dela Rosa said.

"It happened sa loob ng Camp Crame. Kinuha nila doon sa Caloocan, dinala doon sa loob ng Camp Crame, at doon pinatay. Kung pwede lang matunaw ako ngayon sa hiya. Hiyang-hiya ako," he added in a news briefing in Malacañang.

Lacson said he would expected Dela Rosa to take action on the incident.

“Ngayon na siguro ang tamang pagkakataon para tutukan at aksyonan niya ang iba pang abuso ng ibang myembro ng pulisya tulad ng pagpatay kay Mayor Espinosa pati na ang iba pang naiulat nang kidnap-extort activities kasama na yung sa kaibigan kong dinukot sa Meycauayan, Bulacan,” Lacson said.

Lacson earlier disclosed that that one of his friends, a Chinese-Filipino businessman, was also victimized by the same racket last year.

In August 2016, Lacson said his friend was taken from the premises of his own warehouse in Bulacan on the pretext of his “fabricated drug activities.”

He said he personally interceded by “literally pleading” with the businessman’s family to cooperate fully, and that the suspects are already undergoing preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice.

Lacson reminded Dela Rosa that cleansing the PNP of scalawags was just as important as the PNP’s mission to protect the public.

The senator has earlier filed a resolution directing the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, which he chairs, to launch a probe on tokhang for ransom incidents. —NB, GMA News