BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan confirmed the Korean community in the city raised some P300,000 as a reward to whoever could provide police investigators information that will lead to the arrest of the gunman in the brazen murder of a Korean businessman at Upper Pinget last Saturday.
The local chief executive lamented the killing will surely have a significant negative impact on the image of the city in the international scene.
“We are deeply saddened by this incident which may taint the good image of the city as a peaceful place to live, study, work and do business. We hope that our police investigators will be able to identify and subsequently arrest the perpetrator of the crime so that we will be able to restore the trust and confidence of our foreign investors in our ability to solve crimes,” Domogan stressed.
He pointed out the putting up of the cash reward might help in convincing witnesses to surface and help the law enforcers arrest the perpetrators of the crime against of the Korean businessmen.
In behalf of the people and officialdom of the city, Domogan expressed his condolences to the bereaved family of the victim and his live-in partner with the assurance that police investigators are doing their best to identify and arrest the perpetrator.
Police authorities identified the fatality as Jeon Jun Seo alias Henry Seo, 51, married, creditor, Korean national and residing at Dreamland Subdivision Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet while his injured live-in partner was named as Chris Joy Dichoso Jerez.
Initial police investigation showed the victim and his live-in partner were on board their vehicle traveling along Upper Pinget when the still unidentified lone gunman who positioned himself at the right side of the road allegedly fired at them several times hitting the Seo in the different parts of his body while Jerez sustained abrasions.
The two victims were rushed by concerned citizens to the Pines City Doctors Hospital but Seo was declared dead on arrival.
Responding police operatives and elements of the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) team recovered five spent shells of a caliber .45 pistol which was allegedly used by the suspect in the perpetration of the crime.
The case is still undergoing investigation to ascertain the motive of the crime.
By Dexter A. See
