Police, highway patrol told: Hunt carnap suspects

AN OFFICIAL of the Police Regional Office (PRO) ordered the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and Highway Patrol Group (HPG) to arrest the suspects in the series of carnap incidents in the city.

An alarmed Chief Superintendent Jaime H. Morente, PRO-Davao director, issued the directive after several vehicles again went missing over the weekend.

"I have talked to the directors of the DCPO and HPG (Senior Superintendent Gregorio R. Pimentel and Senior Superintendent Ronald M. dela Rosa) to pursue the persons responsible for the crime," Morente said.

The recent incident happened in Laverna Hills, Cabantian on Sunday, wherein a Toyota Fortuner, owned by one Napoleon Icdang Saliog Jr., 45, businessman, was reportedly stolen.

Meanwhile, Romel Rivera, an Insular Village manager, sought clarification of the story that businessman Antonio Teh lost his Toyota Fortuner parked outside his house at Insular Village on September 13.

Rivera said they received no such report.

A check with Buhangin Police Precinct showed Teh listed as a resident of that village in their blotter report.

Based on the initial record of the DCPO Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB), there were already four vehicles stolen in Cabantian as of September this year, while the HPG recorded a total of 16 carnapped vehicles in Davao City since January 1.

Senior Superintendent Gregorio Pimentel, HPG-Davao director, earlier said they are doing their best to solve the carnap incidents.

"We are hoping that the incidents will be solved. It would take time but I believe that once the missing vehicles are re-registered or sold here or in other areas, mahuhuli at mahuhuli din natin yan," Pimentel said.

Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered a thorough investigation on the three carnap incidents that happened in just two hours in Cabantian on September 13.

Superintendent Ruben Ramos, chief of the Buhangin police station, said they are now coordinating with the DCPO Traffic Management Group and HPG to track the suspects. (ICT)