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Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Emano orders cops to shoot carnappers on sight
By Rubelyn Yap
POLICE here have been ordered to "shoot on sight" suspected carnappers and tighten security on all checkpoints in Cagayan de Oro in efforts to stamp out carnapping in the city.
Mayor Vicente Emano said another thing they are doing to solve the problem of car theft is asking the help of the Muslim community and other sectors in the city.
Last Monday, the City Council approved an ordinance urging all department stores and shopping malls in the city to beef up security measures and issue car tickets to all vehicles availing of their parking areas.
Emano said he is scheduled to meet with a group of Muslim leaders and discuss with them ways to stop the carnappings in the city.
The mayor said he received information that carnappers are in Cagayan de Oro. Emano said despite his previous orders, the carnappers escaped.
He said he wants the police to be very strict in securing their checkpoints especially in boundaries. Emano said the Cagayan de Oro City Police (Cocpo) managed to recover one stolen vehicle which is now in Patag.
Emano said there is no need for the City Government to coordinate with agencies like the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 10 and the Police Regional Office 10.
"They should do their job. Di nakinahanglan mag-coordinate pami sa ila (We don't need to coorinate with them) because they know their job," he said.
Safe garage
Meanwhile, Councilor Noel Beja said car owners should have their own garages to avoid carnapping. He also suggested that proper coordination should be done between all mall owners. "There is a need for a cooperation to reduce carnapping," he said.
Later, Councilor Edgar Cabanlas said carnapping had become a problem owing to the city's progress and then urged car owners to become more vigilant.
"There must be a safe garage and we have to put some devices to our car," he said.
Cabanlas said the City Council committee on fire, public safety and police, which Beja chairs, should organize a task force that would focus on carnapping.
He said carnappers don't care whether the vehicle they steal is government issued or privately owned so long as these are popular brands like Toyota Revo, Toyota Tamaraw FX, Isuzu Crosswind XUV, Isuzu Highlander to name a few.
"We could never solve this problem since it happens everywhere but we just have to minimize it," he added.
Measures
Councilor Ian Acenas said carnappings become rampant in big cities like Cagayan de Oro especially when elections are fast approaching.
He also said the city police's intelligence network is weak compared to the mayor's and so urged police to boost their intelligence efforts.
Acenas said checkpoints in Bulua should always be placed on red alert and strict inspections be made on all passing private cars.
The councilor said he wants to propose a resolution addressed to the regional police and the mayor urging them to order checkpoints along roads leading to Marawi city and implementing strict inspections on all vehicles.
For his part, Councilor and Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president Ian Mark Nacaya said he wants to pass a resolution urging malls and department stores to boost their security measures.
Councilor Annie Daba, meanwhile, suggested that the PNP put up checkpoints in Talakag and Lumbia since other carnappers pass through the said route.
In response Councilor Juan Sia said the carnapping has affected the local economy because no one buys cars from automobile dealers anymore.
Concerns
Councilor Jose Benjamin Benaldo said the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 10 has to play an integral role in anti-carnapping efforts.
Along this line, he called for an anti-carnapping summit that would encourage maximum cooperation among the local government units (LGUs) in Region 10.
Councilor President Elipe suggested that car owners buy gadgets that would protect their vehicles from carnappers amd echoed Benaldo's point that the LTO-10 should be fully aware of the problem.
He said the LTO-10 are accepting cars for registration without even papers and documents.
Elipe also favored a summit but said jailed carnappers and key makers should be invited. Councilor Maryanne Enteria had proposed to invite PRO 10 Regional Director Nicolas Pasinos to address concerns on the problem.
Following deliberations, the Council approved an ordinance authored by Daba, Enteria and Tagarda urging the city's mall managements to install preventive measures or security to secure their clients vehicles.
Tagarda said it is now the responsibility of the parking area owners to check the incoming and outgoing vehicles.
Those who will violate the said ordinance will have to pay a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment.
(September 24, 2003 issue)
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