Police have arrested two suspects in the killing of a 37-year-old Korean national whose body was discovered in an abandoned vehicle in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. The arrests were announced during a press conference at Camp Crame by Central Luzon Police Regional Office Director Brigadier General Jess Mendez.
Arrests and Investigation
The gunman and a female suspect were arrested on June 19 following an intensive investigation that included gathering evidence, backtracking CCTV footage, forensic examination, and coordinated operations among various police units, Mendez said.
The female suspect allegedly owed the victim, who was a beauty product distributor, 200,000 Philippine pesos. Mendez stated that the female suspect planned the execution of the victim together with the gunman, with whom she had previously had a romantic relationship.
Friendship and Debt Collection
“Actually, magkaibigan sila (gunman and victim). According to the information, they had been friends for more than a year. In fact, they had already been trying to collect the debt days before the incident. They even went to the condominium and were banging on the door. These two individuals had been persistently demanding payment. The female suspect refused to come out because she had no money to pay,” Mendez explained.
Setup and Shooting
“So it was really a setup. They lured him by saying that she was not at her condominium in Clark and that she was at a house in Magalang. Jao, the gunman, and the victim went there together. On the way, they picked someone up. They traveled to an apartment in Magalang, and when they arrived, Jao shot the victim from the driver’s side of the car. The victim was the one driving, while the suspect was seated in the passenger seat,” Mendez added.
Abandonment and Recovery
Mendez said the gunman dropped off the female suspect before driving to Nueva Ecija and abandoning the vehicle with the victim’s body inside. The firearm used in the killing was recovered from the gunman. The two suspects have been charged with murder.
