CLARK FREEPORT—An executive order establishing the Korean Office of Pampanga and the hotline numbers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Counter Intelligence Task force were among the measures adopted to address the apprehensions of the Korean community here and in adjacent cities.
“We have at least 12,000 Kapampangans working in South Korea and as a gesture of appreciation, I have signed an executive order creating an office to receive all complaints and requests for assistance from any Korean national residing within the province of Pampanga.”
Gov. Lilia G. Pineda announced this during the consultative meeting among local government units (LGUs), the PNP and Korean leaders held at the Royce Hotel and Casino here on Wednesday to ensure the safety of their communities.
PNP chief Director General Ronald M. dela Rosa told more than 100 Koreans present at the meeting to call the PNP Counter Intelligence Task Force numbers 0998-9702286 for Smart Telecom and 0995-7952569 for Globe Telecom when they feel harassed or threatened.
“The problem stemmed from the wrongdoings of our rogue cops. We are going to give them [Koreans] the hotline number of the counterintelligence task force, so that whenever they feel threatened or harassed or are put in whatever unauthorized or illegal operations undertaken by any member of the police against them, they can inform us so that we can act on them immediately,” dela Rosa said.
“This is an initiative of the provincial government of Pampanga and the PNP and the Korean Ambassador. We want to talk to the Korean community in Pampanga because we feel they are becoming uncomfortable, uneasy in their present situation because of what happened to Jee Ick-joo. We want them to feel assured the LGU of Pampanga and the PNP are trying our very best to secure them and make sure they are safe and secure while they are here in the Philippines,” dela Rosa said.
“Please tell us what more needs to be done,” Pineda urged the Korean community leaders present during the meeting, including Korean Ambassador Kim Jae-shin and Korean Community Association Central Luzon Inc. President Kim Ki-young.
“Following the humility of President Rodrigo Duterte, let me apologize for the injustice done on Mr. Jee Ick-joo,” Pineda said.
Jee was kidnapped from his home in Friendship Plaza in nearby Angeles City on October 18, 2016, by suspected police operatives and later strangled to death inside Camp Crame. Reports said his remains were cremated the following day and flushed in the toilet, sparking outrage among Koreans.
“He [Jee] was a man who loves the Philippines enough to do business here and trust Filipinos,” Pineda said. “I pray we can attain justice for Mr. Jee and the perpetrators will be put behind bars very soon.”
“Somehow, this tragic incident should not tarnish the friendly and good relationship we have nurtured all throughout the years between the Philippines and Korea,” she said. “I appeal to the Korean community to continue trusting us Filipinos and cooperate with us.”
“As we tried to improve and ensure peace and order let us put in place the mechanism for common positive action and feedbacks,” she said.
Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said the Korean Office of Pampanga will be located along Korea town in Friendship, Angeles City. “It will be manned by the Mayor’s Office and the PNP and we are going to come up with a Command Center, which is now being prepared.”
“In the event that something happens, they can call me, they can call the chief of police or the regional commander. That’s the only thing we can do,” the mayor said. “We are not the military. We are not the law-enforcement agencies. We can only assist them by putting up an office a desk for the Koreans and, perhaps, we can come up with a hotline,” he said.
The Korean ambassador expressed his gratitude to Pineda for creating the Korean Office of Pampanga, to the PNP chief for sharing the hotline numbers and the promise of prompt response and to Pamintuan.
Ambassador Kim said there are around 20,000 Koreans in Pampanga and around 90,000 in the Philippines. Some 20 Koreans are killed every day in the world, and sadly, 60 percent of the killings happen in the Philippines.
“Now, we are totally cooperating with General dela Rosa to cope with this difficult situation,” the ambassador said. “We are closely cooperating.”
“I express my deepest gratitude for Madam Governor for initiating this gathering and also to the mayor of Angeles City. I appreciate Director General dela Rosa to share his time with us this evening even if he the busiest man in the Philippines,” Ambassador Kim said.
The Korean Office of Pampanga will be headed by Vice Governor Dennis G. Pineda as chairman; provincial administrator Andres Pangilinan, vice chairman; and members Cecile Andin, Angelica S. Blanco, Arwin Paul Lingat, Olivio Pangan and Romeo Dizon.