THE Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 24 has sentenced five men to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment without parole for the kidnapping-for-ransom with homicide of a Korean student in Malate, Manila in 2014.
In a 21-page decision dated February 18, Judge Benedict Medina also ordered Ronel Mongado, Rowel Mongado, Alex Buenaobra, Jimmy Manlapaz, and Sergio Natad to pay the heirs of Ji Won Lee P100,000 for civil damages; P100,000 for moral damages; and another P100,000 in exemplary damages.
Julie Ann Traboco, an accessory to the crime, was sentenced to a maximum jail term of eight years, and was ordered to pay the victim’s family P12,500 each for civil, moral, and exemplary damages.
The court noted the absence of supporting evidence to conclude that Rene Natad, also an accused in the case, has been killed in an encounter with law enforcers; while the whereabouts of a certain “Paks,” also an accomplice, remains unknown.
The court said that alias warrants of arrest will be issued against Natad and Paks and the case against them will be archived until such time that they surrender or are arrested.
The case stemmed from the kidnapping of Ji on March 3, 2014, with the accused demanding an initial P10 million for her release. The ransom demand was eventually lowered to P3 million after negotiations. Records show the victim’s family paid P17,000, but Ji was later killed by the kidnappers. Her body was found a month later in Barangay Gayagaya in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.
