Dismissed Police Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Dumlao III, the convicted mastermind behind the notorious 2016 kidnapping and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, was arrested early Tuesday morning after months on the run.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed that tactical teams from the Philippine National Police (PNP) tracked Dumlao down to a safehouse in Barangay Pasong Tamo, Quezon City. Operatives moved in at approximately 5:00 AM to serve a standing warrant of arrest.
“This operation is a clear demonstration that our justice system works and that no one is above the law,” Remulla said in a statement, adding that the arrest underscores the government’s commitment to holding rogue law enforcement officers accountable.
Dumlao had been the subject of an intense domestic manhunt and an Interpol Red Notice following a dramatic legal battle.
The case dates back to October 2016, when Jee Ick Joo was abducted from his home in Angeles City, Pampanga, under the guise of a legitimate anti-drug operation. The victim was taken directly inside the national police headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City, where he was strangled to death. His body was later cremated at a funeral parlor to destroy evidence, while his captors still extorted millions of pesos in ransom from his grieving widow.
The brazen nature of the crime—perpetrated by active-duty police officers inside the PNP’s main headquarters—sparked international outrage and severely strained diplomatic relations between the Philippines and South Korea.
While an Angeles City regional trial court initially acquitted Dumlao in June 2023, the Court of Appeals (CA) overturned the decision in late 2024. The appellate court ruled that the trial judge committed “grave abuse of discretion” by ignoring vital state witness testimony. The CA subsequently found Dumlao guilty of kidnapping with homicide and sentenced him to reclusion perpetua (life imprisonment) without eligibility for parole.
Dumlao went into hiding shortly after the appellate court’s reversal. On June 30, 2025, the Supreme Court shut the door on his final legal options, affirming his life sentence with finality and sealing his status as a high-profile fugitive.
Following his arrest on Tuesday, Dumlao was brought to a police facility for medical screening and booking procedures. Authorities confirmed he will be transferred directly to a maximum-security penitentiary to begin serving his life sentence.
Leave a Reply