Pangasinan Today

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga - A total of 48 suspected “hot” vehicles including four motorcycles have been recovered by Highway Patrol Group operatives in different areas of Central Luzon since January this year.

Senior Superintendent Fernando Villanueva, regional officer of the Highway Patrol Group 3 (HPG3), said the latest model of vehicle recovered by his men was a gray colored MR 2 Toyota Sports, an imported car which was intercepted in Balanga, Bataan.

Villanueva said the alleged car owner identified as Maria Elizabeth Vargas failed to show documents including tax payment and proof of ownership. He said a provincial police team in Bataan escorted the “undocumented vehicle” to the HPG3 regional office impounding area.

Most of the recovered vehicles, Villanueva said, were either stolen, abandoned, and carjacked. He said the rest were turned over to the rightful owner only after they presented proof of ownership including certificate of registration and official receipt issued by the Land Transportation Office.

There were some cases where suspected “hot” vehicles were recovered inside the Camp Olivas when personnel of the Regional Crime Laboratory 3 (RCLO3) reported to them. He said motor vehicles are subjected to micro-etching to determine if the vehicle chassis and engine numbers have not been tampered with, said Villanueva.

Since January this year, at least 13 allegedly motor “hot” cars were recovered in different areas in Pampanga, ten in Nueva Ecija, nine in Bulacan, seven in Tarlac and seven in Angeles City, three in Camp Olivas, and three in Olongapo City and one in Bataan.

The statistics, Villanueva said, only showed that HPG3 personnel are not remiss on their job particularly in the campaign against carjack vehicles and cars with spurious documents travelling on the streets.

He said HPG3 operatives also strictly enforce the “no plates, no travel policy”.

The vehicles in the HPG3 impounding area will be brought to national police headquarters in Camp Crame specifically at the HPG. After six months, the motor vehicles will be subjected for bidding.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, HPG director, said a carjacking case had been filed in court against a former vice-mayor in Apalit, Pampanga and a former policeman after they were arrested recently by Task Force Limbas operatives along the Olongapo-Gapan Road.

Charged in court are Apalit town ex-vice-mayor Nelson Cabrera Manuel, of Barangay Sucad, Apalit, Pampanga, and ex-Senior Police Officer 2 Romeo Chavez who were on board an allegedly stolen Isuzu Crosswind (ZLF-685).

The vehicle is included in the list of “hot” cars. The license plate reportedly was originally attached to a Toyota Innova registered under Loida G. Resolme of East Bajac-bajac, Olongapo City.

 By JANICE D. HIDALGO

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