IT was a real-life case of ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank.’

This as five men accused of confederating to kidnap and kill a female Korean in Manila whose body they hid in a septic tank on March 3, 2014 were sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court that found them all guilty beyond reasonable doubt, thanks to all-out efforts by the Philippine National Police anti-Kidnapping Group and the Department of Justice Anti-Kidnapping Task Force to give justice to the victim, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

In what has been a classic story of patient sleuthing, investigation and prosecution, the accused identified as Ronel Mongado alias ‘Butiki,’ Rowel Mongado alias ‘Tata,’ Alex Buenaobra alias ‘Allan Fallion,’ Jimmy Manlapaz and Sergio Natod alias ‘Daising’ were found guilty of the crime of kidnapping-for-ransom with homicide and were sentenced to reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole by Judge John Benedict D. Medina of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 47 last February 18.

All were likewise ordered to pay the heirs of the victim Ji Won Lee the amount of P300,000 as civil indemnity and moral and exemplary damages. The body of the victim was placed in a septic tank by the kidnappers.

Another accused identified as Julie Ann Traboco was found guilty as an accessory to the crime of kidnapping-for-ransom with homicide and was sentenced to prision correccional as minimum to 8 years and 11 months and 1-day in jail. She was also ordered to pay the victim’s heirs P12,500 each for the civil indemnity and moral and exemplary damages.

The suspects were successfully prosecuted by committed and able prosecutors from the DOJ Anti-Kidnapping Task Force led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia I. Torrevillas and the brave men and women of the PNP-AKG now under Colonel Elmer R. Ragay who worked tirelessly to uncover the suspects behind the gruesome case and arrest them.

The court also noted that two other accused identified as Rene Natad and an alias ‘Paks’ have not yet been apprehended nor voluntarily surrendered although there was a manifestation from the prosecution that Natad had already died during an encounter with the police.

In view thereof, an alias warrant of arrest was issued against them.

Investigation showed that on March 3, 2014, the accused connived with each other in abducting Ji Won Lee and demanded an initial P10 million ransom from her family, the amount of which was later reduced to P300,000.

A total of P17,000 was delivered and paid to the accused who eventually killed the victim.

During their arraignment, the suspects except Rene Natad and ‘Paks’ pleaded not guilty to the offense imputed on them. The prosecution presented as one of their witnesses Korean police attache Seo Seungwhan.

The breakthrough into the case came when one of the suspects identified as Joseph Armesin became a state witness against the suspects. On March 11, 2020, Armesin was acquitted of the crime. Armesin’s arrest came after he told the victim’s family to send him money thru Smart Padala not knowing that PNP-AKG operatives were already monitoring him.

Armesin was arrested when he demanded money from the victim’s brother. Initially, he got P5,000 thru Smart Padala. On April 8, 2014, he again received P2,500 from the victim’s family and demanded another P50,000 which he said must be delivered at SM Fairview.

During their meeting, Armesin was given P10,000 only as the victim’s family wanted to have her ‘proof of life.’ Unknown to the suspect, undercover PNP-AKG agents posted in the area tailed him when he returned to his house after getting the money.

The PNP-AKG operatives smelled foul odor in the area and traced it to the septic tank where they found the already decomposing body of the victim. Armesin was placed under arrest and later squealed on his co-accused.

The victim’s brother testified in court that he was at their condominium unit in Taft Avenue, Manila when he accompanied his sister in front of the building around 9 p.m. of March 3, 2014. The man said he even flagged down the taxi that brought the victim to Malate where she was about to attend a meeting.

The witness said it was his habit to jot down the plate number of taxis they were taking. On that night, the white taxi had the words ‘Gravitol Taxi’ printed on its doors and sported the license plate UVP-753.

He also said he was able to see the face of the taxi driver as the place was illuminated by the light from the hotel lobby and even asked the latter to bring his sister to Malate.

The Korean said that around 12:30 a.m. of March 4, 2014, he received a call from his sister who was then crying and told him she had been kidnapped. Suddenly, he heard a male voice telling him to prepare the money to pay for his sister’s life.

He called the Korean Embassy to seek help. He was later referred to the PNP-AKG which quickly launched an investigation into the case.

The following day, the kidnappers phoned him and demanded a P10 million ransom. They threatened to kill his sister if he didn’t heed to their monetary demand.

Unknown to the kidnappers, the victim’s brother already had for company a group of PNP-AKG officers and Seo.

On March 11, 2014, the Korean again received a call asking him to send P5,000 thru Smart Padala to connect him to the real kidnapper/s. He acceded and gave the amount as instructed. He was also told to meet the caller at SM Fairview.

The investigation showed that the ransom money which was initially fixed at P50 million was eventually reduced to P300,000. A member of the Korean police was supposed to deliver the money to the kidnappers but the deal was called off.

On March 19, 2014, the Korean again received another call instructing him to meet the kidnappers. Two days later, he sent P2,000 to the kidnappers using the same Smart Padala platform.

However, he decided to stop communicating with the callers anymore due to their failure to give any information about his sister. When police recovered the victim’s body, the latter’s brother positively identified her.

During the trial of the case, he presumed that the taxi driver was among the kidnappers as he was the last person he saw with his sister.

The Mongado brothers were later identified as the persons who demanded the ransom money from the victim’s brother at SM Fairview. One of the witnesses said the two tried to grab the money from him but he was able to run inside a fast-food restaurant after the suspects refused to let him talk with the victim first.

Armesin, who turned state witness identified Bonaobra, Manlapaz, Ronel Mongado, Natag and Tongga as among the kidnappers. He testified that on the evening of March 3, 2014, he was at the house of his brother in Caloocan City when he received a call from accused Alex Buenaobra requesting him to use his house and watch over their captive.

The witness said he told Buenaobra,”Walang problema basta walang sabit.” He added that he was told by Buenaobra he will receive P1 million for taking care of the victim.

The state witness admitted he used to do errands including buying drugs for the suspects who in turn allowed him to use illegal substance for free.

He also testified that he saw a taxi arrive with five of the suspects and a foreign-looking woman on board. He described the woman as ‘singkit with a long hair’ and was shaking in fear.

The witness also said that on March 14, 2014, one of the suspects shot one of their fellows inside his house in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City purportedly due to an alleged ‘onsehan.’ The slain man’s body was dumped by another suspect.

He also said that Buenaobra also gave the instruction to kill the foreign-looking woman who was being guarded by three of the accused. It was Manlapaz who killed the Korean whose body they wrapped.

The following day, the kidnappers decided to put the body in a septic tank since they have no other place to dispose of it. After that, they went on separate ways and hid.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon