SPATE OF CAR JACKINGS REACHES ALARMING LEVELS / MAKATI COP CHIEF AXED
[PHOTO - CARJACKING: Destabilizers behind carjacking incidents? Atty. Oliver Lozano, whose son was killed by suspected car thieves, said the series of violent carjacking incidents may be part of efforts to destabilize the Aquino government. Lozano said several witnesses have come forward, pushing him to believe that there is a plot to destabilize the government.]
MANILA, JANUARY 21, 2011 (STAR) By Cecille Suerte Felipe and Jerry Botial - Car thieves strike anew: Van stolen, 2 attempts foiled.
Car thieves appeared undeterred by the authorities' heightened alert as one more vehicle was stolen in Metro Manila yesterday.
Malacañang, meanwhile, said the spate of carjackings has reached an alarming level and vowed no letup in the campaign against the perpetrators.
Carl Balita, a dzMM radio program host, lost his white 2010 Toyota Grandia van with license plate ZSA 299 to unidentified men while parked outside Torre Venezia condominium at the corner of Timog Ave. and Mother Ignacia street in Quezon City.
Balita only learned of the loss of his car at dawn but he said the thieves could have pulled off the heist the night before. He said it was his driver Gil Bryan Alvarez, 21, who parked the car near the condominium.
Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele said there was no indication that the incident was related to carjacking incidents involving Emerson Lozano and Venson Evangelista, who were found murdered by unidentified men who posed as buyers and test drove their cars. Also found dead was Lozano's companion Ernani Sensil.
Based on records obtained by The STAR, 42-year-old cigarette vendor Dante Duran saw a plump male pull out a key from his pocket, casually open the car door and drove off toward Timog Ave.
"We are not trying to escape from any responsibility but peace and order in the community must be a shared responsibility," Mantele said in reaction to public outcry over the perceived helplessness of law enforcers in stopping crime.
He noted that the parking area where Balita's car disappeared was next to an establishment with several security guards. He said the establishment is equipped with CCTV cameras but their coverage does not include the parking area.
"We cannot guard all these establishments. If I were an owner, I would choose guards who will really do their job – guards who don't sleep on their jobs and who are ready to protect their clients," he said.
Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, director of the Special Investigation Task Group, said they are working round-the-clock to solve the Lozano-Evangelista murders.
"We have deferred our press briefing update on the Lozano-Evangelista killings to give more focus on our investigation, manhunt operations and gathering of additional evidence and witnesses needed in the early resolution of these cases," Estipona said in a text message.
Meanwhile, two foiled cases of car theft were reported in Angeles City in Pampanga and in Dinalupihan in Bataan.
In the Angeles incident, security guards confronted two men on a motorcycle who were seen trying to open a car on Fields Avenue.
In Dinalupihan, one Herminio Salvador fought off armed men who tried to get the ignition key of his Starex van parked outside the home of his sister in New San Jose town. Salvador was shot in the thigh during the scuffle.
'Good lead?'
Police said they have established a "good lead" in the Lozano-Evangelista cases.
A police official said they have identified one of the suspects and that crack police operatives are now scouring Metro Manila's neighboring provinces to get him.
"He knows the killers of Lozano, Evangelista and the driver. Once we get him, he would lead us to the suspects who are involved in carjacking," the police official who declined to be named told The STAR.
"Our witness positively identified our suspect in the police rouge gallery while negotiating for the test drive of one of the vehicles being sold. He could lead us to the killers of Lozano and Evangelista," the official said.
He declined to name the suspect "so as not to jeopardize ongoing police operations to get him."
"I could not reveal other details of our operation to prevent our suspects from escaping our dragnet," he said.
The source also debunked reports that the killings were meant to put to shame the leadership of PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo and PRO3 director Chief Superintendent Allan Purisima.
Purisima is rumored to be Malacañang's choice as next PNP chief.
"We have no reports pointing to that direction but we will look into that," he said. "But as of this moment, we are working on revenge as among the possible angles in the killings."
Alarming
Malacañang admits it finds the spate of carjacking cases alarming.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said President Aquino has directed the PNP to leave no stone unturned in resolving the series of carjacking incidents.
Part of the security measures being implemented by the PNP is the setting up of checkpoints in strategic areas of Metro Manila to increase police visibility.
"Certainly, it (carjacking) is a cause for alarm, which is why the President has already asked the PNP to be on top on this… to take extra measures. Some of them, particularly the Manila police district, has been putting up checkpoints to increase police visibility," Valte said.
Valte said Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo would update the public on the status of the investigation today.
"Yes, we know that PNP chief Bacalzo is doing his best to address this particular issue," Valte noted.
The PNP Highway Patrol Group said the number of carjacking cases in the country was actually lower this year than in previous years.
With 31 vehicles reported stolen from Jan. 1 to 19 this year, an average of 1.6 vehicles are stolen each day.
The PNP said this was lower than the 2010 average of two to three each day, and three to four stolen daily in 2009.
Valte also said the Palace was not yet ready to impose stricter gun rules in the country.
"We already have restrictions in place. We have rules for gun ownership, we have rules for gun licensing and we have rules for carrying firearms outside your homes," she said.
Meanwhile, Pangasinan Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil urged the PNP to "hit hard" on car jacking syndicates but with the rules of engagement always in mind.
"While I strongly support human rights and due process, I expect the PNP to hit hard with no mercy and operate without let up against those ruthless and brutal killers and syndicates involved in the latest heinous crimes," Bataoil said.
"I just have to remind the PNP to be very careful in ensuring the safety of innocent civilians," he said.
Bataoil, former chief of the PNP's National Capital Region Police Office, said lessons must be learned from the deaths of innocent civilians in Parañaque City when operatives clashed with suspected carjackers a few years ago.
"I also warn that no fall guys be presented. All arrests must be backed up with hard evidence," Bataoil said.
Destabilization
San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito said the spate of car jacking cases might be intended to embarrass the Aquino administration.
Emerson's father, former Marcos lawyer Oliver Lozano, also said he was not ruling out the possibility that the crime wave was part of a destabilization plot. He also bewailed reports implying his son's involvement in carjacking groups.
"The current wave of gruesome crimes in the country is very alarming. I was informed that there is a strong belief among intelligence units that the recent series of high-profile criminal cases are meant to discredit the Aquino administration. P-Noy must address the series of criminal activities seriously," Ejercito said in a statement.
"The architect of these recent criminal tricks wanted to create a horrific peace and order situation to downplay the high popularity and economic gains being boasted by the Aquino administration. Apparently, the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are not staging these nefarious activities to earn a living illegally but to create a scenario that will try to discredit P-Noy's ability to govern," he said.
Ejercito suggested that President Aquino call for a peace and order summit with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the PNP, local officials, and other agencies to discuss ways to stem the tide of criminal activity.
"Now is the perfect time for PNP officials to prove their worth as protectors of the citizenry, considering that the Filipino people are slowly losing their hope with the PNP institution following its blunders and the involvement of some personnel in illegal activities," he said. – With Ric Sapnu, Raffy Viray, Ding Cervantes, Non Alquitran, Jess Diaz and Aurea Calica
Makati precinct chief sacked By Non Alquitran (The Philippine Star) Updated January 21, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (11)
MANILA, Philippines - The commander of a police precinct in Makati City was relieved from his post yesterday following the theft of a vehicle owned by a cousin of former senator Manuel Roxas II.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Nicanor Bartolome ordered the relief of Chief Inspector Alex Fulgar, chief of the police community precinct (PCP) of Makati City, citing the responsibility of the police commander where the carjacking took place.
Bartolome pointed out that Fulgar has jurisdiction over De la Rosa Street in Legaspi Village where two armed men took the Toyota Land Cruiser (plate no. ATG 747) owned by Margarita Araneta-Fores, a cousin of Roxas.
"The area is a busy commercial area and he failed to curb the criminal incidents there," Bartolome said.
Bartolome also directed Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Superintendent Jose Arne de los Santos and Makati City police chief Senior Superintendent Froilan Bonifacio to explain why they failed to be vigilant in preventing further vehicle thefts amid the increasing cases of "test drive" killings.
Bonifacio, on the other hand, said they are trying to get leads from CCTV footage where the carjacking took place.
Bonifacio said they have already requested for a copy of CCTV tapes from the business establishments in the area.
The Makati police also invited a security guard, whose name was not made available, who reportedly saw how Fores' vehicle was forcibly taken from her driver Roberto Villanueva.
Some police officials, however, were skeptical about the relief of Fulgar, saying that Bartolome relieved only a "small fry."
"The carjacking incident that led to the killing of two car dealers and a driver happened in Quezon City but he (Bartolome) has yet to lift his finger on the erring police officials," a senior police official said.
The police official noted that Bartolome and Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele are both from Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class '80.
Aside from the killing of two car dealers and a driver, some Quezon City policemen are also involved in the kidnap attempt of an Indian national in Pasay City, the police official said.
"Fulgar was relieved because the relative of Roxas was involved," he added.
The official accused the Philippine National Police leadership of being selective in imposing punishment. –With Jose Rodel Clapano
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