MANILA -- Malacañang is leaving the issue of categorizing carnapping as a non-bailable crime to Congress as it congratulated the police for its continuous operations against syndicates linked to gruesome murders last week.
“When it comes to that there has to be a law to amend that. For us in the executive, we execute what the laws are. If there are proposed changes to our laws, it has to be conveyed to our legislators,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told government radio station dzRB.
Calls to make carnapping as a non-bailable offense snowballed after the father of slain car dealer Venson Evangelista appealed to authorities to track down the killers of his son.
Last month, Malabon City Representative Josephine Veronique Lacson-Noel filed a measure that would declare carnapping as a non-bailable crime. The House has yet to act on Noel’s proposal.
“I understand the frustration of our policemen who risk their lives trying to put carnappers in jail, only to find out later that they get out on bail faster than getting them behind bars,” the lawmaker said.
Under the present law, carnapping suspects can post bail ranging from P100,000 to P180,000. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)