Philippines: High ranking police officer arrested for masterminding slay of South Korean national

Manila: Policemen arrested their superintendent for allegedly masterminding the death of a South Korean national who was kidnapped in October 2016 by officers engaged in President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-illegal drug trade, sources said.

“Philippine National Police Superintendent Rafael Dumlao was arrested for the death of businessman, Jee Ick-joo last October 2016,” a police source told Gulf News late Friday.

Recalling what happened, Dumlao complained, “Members of the PNP Anti-Kidnap Group (PNP-AKG) and the PNP Anti- Illegal Drugs Group (PNP AIDG) tried to get me — but their warrant of arrest was only for a certain Mr Dumlao.”

Dumlao was identified by one of the seven policemen who were blamed for the kidnap-for-ransom activity that resulted in the killing of the South Korean national inside Camp Crame, the PNP headquarters in Metro Manila’s suburban Quezon City. He was taken by members of PNP-AIDG from his house in a posh subdivision in Pampanga last October 2016.

Dumlao’s alleged participation in it has intensified fears of critics and supporters of Duterte that PNP Chief Director General Ronaldo dela Rosa could no longer trust anyone in the police force to implement the campaign against illegal-drug trade.

The involvement of the police in Jee’s kidnap for ransom, now called “tokhang-for-ransom,” has weakened Duterte’s resolve to stand by his men who were threatened to be accused of human rights violations in the anti-drug campaign which has killed 6,000 since July.

The police said they were responsible only for 2,000 deaths and blamed drug syndicates for the rest of the fatalities.

“Although Duterte has apologised for Jee’s killing, many Filipinos might no longer trust the policemen and the PNP — long seen as one of the most corrupt institutions in the Philippines,” said political analyst Mon Casiple.

Sixteen other South Koreans were harassed by policemen for extortion last year.