PNP Highway Patrol Group intensifies fight against carnapping

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MANILA – PNP-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) continues to intensify anti-carnaping operations against syndicates, PNP-HPG Spokesperson Superintendent Elizabeth Velasquez said.

Velasquez said the PNP-HPG formed 14 tracker teams to concentrate on running after carnap groups in possible places to file charges against them.

She said with the team, the PNP is optimistic to decrease the prevailing number of carnappers by at least 50 percent.

Also, PNP acquired a list of the target personalities and their respective carjacking syndicates: Mac Lester; Salvatierra; Landrito and others. The following syndicates are said to be affiliated to each other.

“We created a family tree, because they are related. Most of them are connected to each other” Velasquez said.

According to Velasquez, the syndicates operate in Metro Manila and ship carjacked vehicles to Mindanao. PNP recommended clearances be filed before allowing vehicles to be shipped to other ports.

Although PNP sees carnapping as a nonbailable act, provisions in the RA 6539 Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 allowed law offenders to bail.

“Actually, during the senate hearing Tuesday, no less than PNP Officer in Charge Leonardo Espina himself recommended for the crime of carnapping to be a non-bailable case.” Velasquez said.

PNP warned public to avoid leaving gadgets inside the vehicle and parking in unsecured places, as reports say 75 percent of carjacked vehicles is due to this.

Secondhand vehicles may also be checked in HPG clearance station through macroetching and physical exam.

Earlier, Senior Supt. Arnold Gunnacao, director of the PNP-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) encourages all men and women of the Group to keep up the good work, serve the people with all honesty and sincerity and continue to pursue its mandate with further enthusiasm and high level of police service.

“Our police operations are ‘intelligence and people-driven’ as we combine the enforcement of the law, reading the situation on the ground, serving the people and protecting the peace.” Gunnacao said as he heeds a call for better service and standard of excellence.

“For the past year, this group has recovered a total of 585 motor vehicles composed of 362 Motor Vehicles and 223 Motorcycles, neutralized 2 carnapping groups in 6 encounters, arrested 329 suspects of whom 9 were killed, filed 119 cases in court, served 65 warrants of arrest and 7 search warrants and recovered 131 firearms.” Gunnacao added.