Watching daughter's wedding led to Rafael Dumlao's arrest

Rafael Dumlao III, the alleged mastermind behind the abduction and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo, was arrested by authorities after watching his daughter’s wedding via Facebook Live.

According to Jun Veneracion’s report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, Dumlao, a dismissed police official, was already surrounded by law enforcers when he woke up early on Tuesday morning.

A 9mm pistol was recovered from his possession. Dumlao’s cellphone and laptop are currently undergoing forensic investigation to determine if anyone aided him while he was in hiding.

Dumlao was arrested at a house in Barangay Pasong Tamo, Quezon City, where he has been hiding out for quite some time.

An informant tipped off authorities about Dumlao’s whereabouts, prompting a three-week surveillance operation by the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

Intelligence regarding the operation was highly restricted to prevent any leaks, particularly given Dumlao’s background as a former police officer.

“We would like to thank and congratulate the community of course and the operating unit. Community, why? Because sila na mismo ang nagbibigay ng lead (Because they gave the lead themselves),” said PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr.

The wedding of Dumlao’s daughter on Sunday eventually led to his arrest two days later.

“It was the wedding of his daughter last Sunday. So from then on trinack namin ‘yung movement niya at trinack namin kung siya talaga ‘yun. And it looks like he was parang naka-Facebook Live, pinapanood niya yung kasal ng anak niya,” said Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

(It was the wedding of his daughter last Sunday. So from then on, we tracked his movements and verified if it was really him. And it looks like he was watching his child’s wedding via Facebook Live.)

Dumlao – who was convicted of kidnapping with homicide – is on the DILG’s most wanted list with a bounty of over P1 million.

On October 18, 2016, Dumlao’s group allegedly abducted South Korean Jee Ick-joo from his home in Angeles City, Pampanga.

At that time, they claimed he was involved in illegal drugs as a cover for the alleged crime.

Based on the investigation, the victim was brought to Camp Crame where he was strangled by Dumlao’s alleged accomplice inside a parked vehicle.

His body was brought to a funeral home in Caloocan City, where his remains were cremated and his ashes later flushed down the toilet.

Even though the victim was already dead, Dumlao’s group still allegedly demanded a ransom from the Korean businessman’s family, who ended up paying P5 million.

The incident was strongly condemned by the South Korean government.

In 2023, the Angeles City Regional Trial Court found Dumlao’s alleged accomplices – former SPO2 Ricky Sta. Isabel and former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) asset Jerry Omlang – guilty beyond reasonable doubt of kidnapping with homicide.

The same court acquitted Dumlao – a decision that state prosecutors subsequently challenged before the Court of Appeals (CA).

The appellate court overturned Dumlao’s acquittal in 2024.

He was sentenced to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years in prison without the possibility of parole for kidnapping with homicide. This is on top of a 35-year prison sentence for carnapping.

By then, Dumlao was already in hiding. The government then requested the issuance of an INTERPOL Red Notice against him.

“All of the entire country should be aware that the PNP is not stopping. Kung PNP chief ka man dati, kung pulis ka dati (If you’re a former PNP chief or a former cop), it is not a consideration that the institution is above everything else,” said Remulla. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA News