HIGHWAY Patrol Group (HPG) policemen arrested a Korean national for driving a stolen vehicle in Don Mariano Heights, Quezon City, a police official said Thursday.

HPG Director Perfecto Palad said his men caught Ju Chul Lee, 38, of UP village, Quezon City, driving a Toyota Innova van bearing plate REV-177, at Pook Ligaya Street at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

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The HPG policemen under Chief Inspector Francisco Lucena II flagged down Lee after receiving information from an HPG clearance officer that the said vehicle is included in the list of wanted/stolen vehicles.

Lee, when accosted, showed to the policemen a suspected spurious official receipt/certificate of registration as well as a Deed of Sale for the Toyota Innova van together with photocopies of a driver's license of Sung Keun Lee and Gene Regadio Ducus.

This prompted the accosting team to bring the vehicle together with the foreigner to HPG headquarters.

Verification made with the HPG Vehicle Information Management System (VIMS) showed that the intercepted vehicle is under Alarm Number 2007-0904-008 having been reported as Stolen While Parked Unattended (SWPU) by registered owner's wife Mrs. Adora D. Ducos last August 13, 2007 along Col. Miguel Ver Street in Barangay Little Baguio, San Juan City.

Lee, during questioning, however, confessed that a fellow Korean, Sung Keun Lee, with residence address at FC 310 Central Balili, La Trinidad, Benguet sold the vehicle to him for P680,000.

Palad said appropriate charges are now being readied against the suspects.

The police official warned foreign nationals as well as Filipinos to be aware of carnapping syndicates victimizing unsuspecting buyers of cars especially foreigners. (VR/Sunnex)

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(November 14, 2008 issue)
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