Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson welcomed Tuesday the arrest of a former police official tagged as the mastermind in the abduction and killing of Korean trader Jee Ick Joo, nearly a decade after the crime.
Lacson, who initiated and chaired the Senate probe that led to the filing of charges against those involved, said the arrest of former Police Lt. Col. Rafael Dumlao III showed law enforcement “never sleeps.”
“Law enforcement never sleeps. The long arm of the law is always stretched to close in and snatch its quarry,” Lacson, who served as Philippine National Police chief from 1999 to 2001, said in a post on X.
In Filipino: Lacson: Paghuli sa ‘Mastermind’ sa Pagpatay kay Jee Ick Joo, Patunay na Hindi Natutulog ang Batas
He also reiterated the need for the PNP to continue its internal cleansing efforts, so cases similar to those of Jee would not happen again.
When he chaired the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Lacson filed Senate Resolution 265, seeking an investigation in aid of legislation into Jee’s abduction and killing – among other reported incidents of kidnap-for-ransom perpetrated by PNP personnel in the guise of enforcing “Project Tokhang,” the Duterte administration’s anti-drug war.
The Senate inquiry and investigation led to the filing of criminal charges against Dumlao and other personalities.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced the arrest of Dumlao in a house in Quezon City before dawn Tuesday. Dumlao was dismissed from the service in 2018.
Jee was reported kidnapped from his home in Angeles City in October 2016, but investigation showed he was killed inside PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.
Lacson initially described Jee’s killing as “probably the most unwelcome wake-up call” for then PNP chief Ronald de la Rosa. He exhorted the PNP leadership to address the issue by “going hammer and tongs against all rogue cops who only care about their personal gains to the detriment of the entire police organization.”
“(When I was the Chief PNP), I really hit hard on the inept, corrupt and undisciplined policemen, regardless of rank, or what I referred to at that time as ICUs. My primary concern was to do justice to the sacrifices of the overwhelmingly many honest and hardworking police officers,” he added.
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Lacson: Paghuli sa ‘Mastermind’ sa Pagpatay kay Jee Ick Joo, Patunay na Hindi Natutulog ang Batas
Ikinatuwa ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes ang pag-aresto sa isang dating opisyal ng pulisya na itinuturong mastermind sa pagdukot at pagpatay sa Korean trader na si Jee Ick Joo, halos isang dekada matapos ang krimen.
Ani Lacson, na nagpasimula at namuno sa pagdinig sa Senado na humantong sa paghahain ng mga kaso laban sa mga sangkot, ang pag-aresto kay dating Police Lt. Col. Rafael Dumlao III ay patunay na hindi natutulog ang batas.
“Law enforcement never sleeps. The long arm of the law is always stretched to close in and snatch its quarry,” ani Lacson, na nagsilbing hepe ng Philippine National Police mula 1999 hanggang 2001, sa isang post sa X.
Muling iginiit ni Lacson ang pangangailangan na ipagpatuloy ng PNP ang internal cleansing nito upang maiwasan ang mga kahalintulad na kaso sa kay Jee.
Noong chairman siya ng Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, inihain ni Lacson ang Senate Resolution 265 na naglalayong magsagawa ng imbestigasyon in aid of legislation hinggil sa pagdukot at pagpatay kay Jee — kasama ang iba pang ulat ng kidnapping-for-ransom na umano’y isinagawa ng mga tauhan ng PNP sa ilalim ng pagkukunwari ng “Project Tokhang,” ang anti-drug campaign ng administrasyong Duterte.
Ang naturang pagdinig at imbestigasyon sa Senado ay humantong sa paghahain ng mga kasong kriminal laban kay Dumlao at sa iba pang personalidad.
Inanunsyo ni Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla ang pag-aresto kay Dumlao sa isang bahay sa Quezon City bago magbukang-liwayway nitong Martes. Na-dismiss na sa serbisyo si Dumlao noong 2018.
Si Jee ay unang iniulat na dinukot sa kanyang bahay sa Angeles City noong Oktubre 2016, ngunit lumabas sa imbestigasyon na siya ay pinatay sa loob ng PNP headquarters sa Camp Crame.
Una nang inilarawan ni Lacson ang pagpatay kay Jee bilang “probably the most unwelcome wake-up call” para sa noo’y PNP chief na si Ronald de la Rosa. Hinimok din niya ang liderato ng PNP na tugunan ito sa pamamagitan ng “going hammer and tongs against all rogue cops who only care about their personal gains to the detriment of the entire police organization.”
“(When I was the Chief PNP), I really hit hard on the inept, corrupt and undisciplined policemen, regardless of rank, or what I referred to at that time as ICUs. My primary concern was to do justice to the sacrifices of the overwhelmingly many honest and hardworking police officers,” dagdag niya.
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