(Eagle News) — The Angeles City Regional Trial Court has granted the bid of prosecutors to allow one of the police officers implicated in the kidnapping of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo to turn state witness.
Judge Irineo Pineda Pangilinan Jr. of Branch 58 said that SP04 Roy Villegas’ testimony “is absolutely necessary to prove conspiracy among the accused who are charged with conspiring and confederating with each other on the alleged abduction of Jee and Marisa Morquicho and the subsequent killing of the victim Jee.”
Morquicho was Jee’s househelp.
In allowing Villegas to turn state witness, the court noted that while he participated in the abduction of Jee, and in the disposal of the victim’s body, he did not participate in the killing.
The court said this meant that Villegas did not appear to be the most guilty, a requirement for one to be allowed to turn state witness.
It added Villegas had not had prior convictions involving moral turpitude.
Jee was kidnapped and killed reportedly by a group of police officers led by Supt. Rafael Dumlao III in Camp Crame in 2011.
His body was brought to and cremated in a funeral parlor in Caloocan City.