Rey Anthony Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 1, 2012 (PIA) – The Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) urges Boholanos into buying cars to coordinate first with them before paying to be assured that the vehicle one buys is cleared and have no problems.
“Your PNP HFG can access records from the national database and can easily tell if the vehicle you are paying is clean,” PNP HPG Director Leonardo Espina said while officiating the public presentation June 1, 2012 Friday, of the 12 “hot cars” unwittingly sold to Boholanos in the last few years.
This as The PNP HPG, in coordination with the Presidential Anti Crime Council seized the 12 “hot cars” mostly Utility vehicles, Commuter van and Sports Utility Vehicles in its latest anti-carnapping operations in the Visayas.
In a presentation to the media, PNP HPG Director Leonardo Espina issued the advice while he moved on to say that the 12 hot cars in Bohol are part of the 67 SUVs, AUVs and commuter vans, including sedans the authorities netted in six months of recovery operations in Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and General Santos City.
Among those confiscated from Boholano owners were three Isuzu Crosswinds with plate numbers KEF 600 (red), GSV 653 (violet) and GSV 683 (white) all of which were stolen from while parked and unattended in Makati and Paranaque Cities.
The HPG has also in its possession seven Nissan Urvan commuter vans, most are stolen and with tampered engine and chassis numbers but have been registered in the present year.
The fleet includes a white Nissan Urvan with plate number YDZ 881, with engine and chassis numbers that do not match, both of which come from two different stolen units, white Nissan Urvan with plate number YHL 958 with tampered chassis and engine number, reported stolen from Makati City last April 24, 2004 and a green Nissan Urvan with plate number YDZ 971, which was loaned from a bank, but the owner defaulted payment, tampered the chassis and engine numbers and then sold it to a Boholano.
Other four white Nissan Urvans, one with plate number YHD 654 is now confiscated when highway patrol authorities noted tampered engine and chassis numbers. The other three, with plate numbers GPC 882, PRV 633 and GJE has tampered engines and chassis numbers or had unauthorized change of engines, according to the HPG.
Among the hot cars was a black Mitsubishi Pajero with plate number TSR 512 had delinquent registration and is found in violation of the LTO and Traffic Code.
The PNP HPG also impounded a white Isuzu DMax pick up which bore plate number PPS 888 for illegal transfer of plate numbers and the use of fake plates.
PCSupt Espina also said the HPG Visayas operation came from earlier assessment that Central Visayas has become a major hub in the processing and trafficking of stolen vehicles from Luzon and shipped to the south by a syndicate fed by a notorious carnapping network called Baktin.
The group’s connection in Manila, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro has already been neutralized, according to him. (30)