16 vehicles in Davao City lost since January

THE Highway Patrol Group (HPG) recorded a total of 16 vehicles that went missing in Davao City since January 1 this year.

Of the 16, only one was confirmed as carnapped. The rest are still listed as just missing. Most missing vehicles were Toyota Fortuner and Honda.

This is the highest number reported, Senior Superintendent Gregorio R. Pimentel, HPG-Davao regional director, told the Sun.Star Davao. In 2011, there was just two.

"We are hoping that later on this kind of crime incident will be solved. It would take time but I believe that once the missing vehicles will be re-registered or sold to another here or in other areas, mahuhuli at mahuhuli din natin yan," Pimentel said.

He admits that organized crime groups abound and that these groups could be operating with the help of some locals, as pointed out by Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte.

"The organized crime group will never be out of the picture. The question there is, who is behind of this crime? Yan ang hinahanap natin. Yes, it is true hindi naman kasi sila basta-basta makakapasok sa isang area without connection," Pimentel said.

Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte earlier issued a directive to the authorities to look for the local connection of the carnappers after three vehicles went missing within just two hours in Cabantian in Buhangin District on September 13.

"Imposible man nga muingon ra ka'g dayo ra na sila diri. I am sure dili na sila basta-basta kasulod diri kung wala sila’y connection. Naa jud na sila'y guide dinhi (You can’t say that this crime is perpetrated by outsiders. You cannot just come here and commit a crime without local connections)," Duterte said in his television program "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa" on Sunday.

Senior Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa, DCPO director, said still they have certain people whose activities they are monitoring although what they have are those operating in Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte.