POLICEMEN were able to recover items stolen during a "basag kotse" incident that transpired at San Guillermo Church in Bacolor, Pampanga on Friday afternoon, July 16, 2021.
Colonel Thomas Ibay, Pampanga police director, said they received a phone call on Friday afternoon about the incident at said church in Barangay Cabambangan here.
"The window of the car of the victims was broken and several valuable belongings left inside the car were allegedly stolen," Ibay reported.
Bacolor police officers immediately coordinated with representatives of San Guillermo Church for the review of security camera footage that captured the incident.
Pieces of footage showed two male personalities breaking the victim's car window and upon taking several gadgets, fled on board a white van.
Police were able to track the suspects in Barangay Masamat, Mexico town through a Global Positioning System locator-activated on the stolen items.
"A hot pursuit then immediately ensued and at around 3:20 a.m. of Saturday, operating team was able to flag down a white van which was confirmed to be of the suspect's," Ibay said, adding the victims also verified that stolen gadgets placed at the front passenger side were the stolen ones.
The suspect, identified as Daniel Mercado, 49, of Cainta Rizal, was then placed under. Instead of yielding, he resisted, sped off using his vehicle and ran over this town's chief of police Major German Pascua, who was approaching the suspect.
Mercado was able to elude arrest after ramming his driven vehicle into an Acacia tree and fled on foot to an unknown direction. Pascua, who sustained several injuries after being dragged by the vehicle, was brought to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.
Mercado is now facing charges for theft, direct assault, attempted homicide, and resistance and disobedience to an agent of person in authority, while some of the stolen items were recovered.