MANILA, Philippines - One of the police officers implicated in kidnap-slay of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo went missing after leaving the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters where he was placed under restrictive custody.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa has ordered the return of Supt. Rafael Dumlao, formerly of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG), to restrictive custody of the Headquarters Support Services (HSS).

Dumlao reportedly left Camp Crame late Friday without seeking permission from the HSS after he was implicated in the kidnap-slay of Jee by his subordinate, SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel.

Dela Rosa warned Dumlao could face administrative sanctions or

dismissal for grave misconduct.

He stressed Dumlao should remain in Camp Crame as his life could be in danger.

Dumlao reportedly went out of Camp Crame fearing that he might be silenced.

A video from ABS-CBN showed Dumlao in front of Camp Crame with other police officials. Reports said he protested the move of police officers who allegedly tried to serve an arrest warrant in connection with Jee’s kidnapping and killing.

Supt. Dennis Wagas, legal officer of the PNP’s Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), said the incident shown on the video took place at around midnight.

Dumlao argued the arrest was invalid as the warrant only stated the name “alias Dumlao.” He then left the scene.

Wagas, however, belied Dumlao’s allegation, saying there was never an attempt to arrest him. “We never tried to arrest him but to just bring him back under the control and supervision of the HSS,” he said.

Officials did not reply to inquiries if Dumlao was brought back to Camp Crame as of yesterday. A police source, however, said Dumlao is staying somewhere in Antipolo City.

Dela Rosa said once Dumlao’s full name is included in the warrant, he will be immediately placed under arrest.

He expressed confidence Dumlao will not be able to leave the country as the Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a lookout bulletin on him.

DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said one of the suspects in the Jee kidnapping is already under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“As far as I know that a certain Jerry reportedly also sought the protective custody of the NBI,” Aguirre said.

Aguirre, however, did not disclose the real name of “Jerry” but described him as a confidential informant of the NBI.

“Jerry” is one of the eight named respondents in the kidnap-slay of Jee.

The other respondents are Sta. Isabel, SPO4 Roy Villegas, Ramon Yalung, three others using the aliases “Pulis”, “Sir Dumlao” and “Ding.”

The PNP-AKG filed a motion to include Christopher Alan Gruenberg, an alleged owner of one of the cars used in the crime, in the list of respondents.

Meanwhile, no charges have been filed against the owner of the funeral parlor in Caloocan City where Jee’s body was brought.

Gerardo Santiago, owner of Gream funeral homes and a barangay official, returned to the country on Friday from Canada and sought protection, citing alleged threats to his life.

Dela Rosa welcomed Santiago’s decision to return home.

“We can have a clearer picture of the story,” Dela Rosa said over dzBB yesterday.

Transferred, not dismissed

There has been public pressure on those policemen involved in illegal activities to stand trial and be dismissed from the service.

There were concerns that President Duterte himself is giving immunity to rogue police officers in his deadly campaign against illegal drugs.

Three policemen charged with robbery and extortion have been transferred instead of suspended or sacked, authorities said Thursday, fueling concerns about immunity for rogue officers carrying out Duterte’s deadly drug war.

The announcement of the punishment for the trio came as a Senate inquiry began into the murder of Jee allegedly by anti-drug police officers who extorted money from his wife.

Critics said Duterte has emboldened corrupt officers with his repeated pledges that he will shield police if they are charged for killing drug suspects.

Duterte personally ordered the three police officers, accused of extorting P120,000 from a mother and son last week in Manila, deployed to Mindanao, a police statement said on Thursday.

“This is part of the continuous internal cleansing of (the city police),” according to Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar.

“(It) should serve as a lesson for those involved in illegal activities and also a stern warning for others not to do the same,” he said.

Duterte had previously vowed to transfer corrupt policemen to areas in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where security forces are battling several militant groups, leading to protests from local officials.

Duterte has said he must take extraordinary measures to prevent the Philippines from becoming a narco-state and Filipinos from becoming slaves to drugs.

Many Filipinos support the drug war but critics fear the PNP, regarded as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country, is spearheading a campaign of extrajudicial killings while corrupt officers are using the campaign as cover for their own illegal activities.

Duterte said this week he would tolerate them earning “sideline” money, a euphemism for various corrupt activities, as long as that did not involve drugs.

Dela Rosa told the Senate inquiry on Thursday that the anti-drugs officer accused of murdering Jee had been suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of a woman in 2007.

“How can a police officer with allegations of that sort be assigned to specialty units like the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group?” Sen. Vicente Sotto III remarked.