Bato says evidence vs. Sta. Isabel 'overwhelming'

JEE ICK JOO SLAY

Published January 26, 2017 5:12pm

By KATHRINA CHARMAINE ALVAREZ, GMA News

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said they have "overwhelming evidence" against SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, the primary suspect in the kidnap-slay of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo.

"Ang dami po, very overwhelming po ang evidence against sa kanya," Dela Rosa told the Senate public order committee in a hearing on Thursday.

Dela Rosa cited five reasons why Sta. Isabel should be held responsible for the abduction and killing of Jee.

"'Yung positive identification ng sasakyan na ginamit doon sa abduction, inamin ng asawa niya sa kanya yung sasakyan. Pangalawa, 'yung affidavit ni Dawis na itunuturo siya na siya yung nag-abduct [at] siya 'yung umakyat sa bahay," Dela Rosa said.

The pick-up truck with license plate AAX-4655 had been traced to Sta. Isabel's wife. The same license plate was also found in the logbook kept by the security of Friendship Plaza Subdivision in Angeles City, Pampanga, where Jee's home was located.

Sta. Isabel, during the hearing, said he was a victim of "kambal plaka."

Jee's househelp, Marissa Dawis-Morquicho, also identified Sta. Isabel as the police officer who abducted them.

Morquicho was abducted together with Jee from his house on October 18. She said she saw the suspects beating up Jee while they were inside the vehicle on their way to Metro Manila.

She said she did not witness the killing of Jee as she was transferred to a different vehicle and later on given P1,000 before being dropped off in Cubao, Quezon City.

Dela Rosa further cited the video footage showing Sta. Isabel withdrawing money using Jee's ATM card, an accusation denied by Sta. Isabel.

"Pang-apat, yung affidavit ni SPO4 Villegas na nagdi-detalye talaga from the abduction up to pagbyahe sa Crame," Dela Rosa said, referring to SPO4 Roy Villegas.

It was Villegas who claimed that he saw Sta. Isabel strangling and killing Jee inside Camp Crame, the national headquarters of the PNP.

The PNP chief said their last piece of evidence was the statement of guards who supposedly saw Sta. Isabel entering the subdivision prior to the abduction.

Sta. Isabel refuted this during the hearing, claimed he was in places other than the Angeles City subdivision during the dates contained in the logbook. —KBK, GMA News

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