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Azurin: Crackdown vs car thieves unrelenting

October 13, 2022 Alfred P. Dalizon 208 views

AzurinPHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. yesterday said their no-nonsense crackdown against car theft in the country during the 1st 98-days of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. has effectively reduced motor vehicle thievery.

Citing records from the PNP Directorate for Operations, the top cop said that from July 1 to October 6, 2022, they recorded a total of 409 carnapping incidents or the loss of 78 motor vehicles and 331 motorcycles during the period. Overall, the PNP registered an average of 4 vehicles being stolen per day during the period.

However, the same period also saw the recovery of 164 stolen MVs and 196 stolen motorbikes for an 88 percent PNP recovery efficiency.

The top cop earlier congratulated the men and women of the 226,000-strong organization who have contributed well to the high approval rating given by the public to the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. during its first 90-days

Results of a Pulse Asia survey released on Thursday last week showed that respondents gave the PBBM administration a 67 percent and 62 percent approval rating respectively when it comes to fighting criminality and law enforcement.

Azurin said that during the period,, a total of 342 car and motorcycle theft personalities were arrested by agents of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and other police territorial units while three died in shootouts with police operatives.

He added that 163 cases for violation of Republic Act 10883 or the New Anti-Carnapping Act of 2013 have been filed against the arrested suspects during the 98-day period.

Azurin commended the PNP-HPG headed by Brigadier Gen. Cliffod B. Gairanod for making a huge impact in their campaign against car theft, hijacking and highway robbery during the period.

The top cop has ordered the PNP-HPG to further intensify their crackdown against car theft, highway robbery and hijackings since the 1st day he was appointed by President Marcos as the 28th PNP chief.

The PNP-HPG has also intensified its enforcement of the country’s traffic code to ensure the safety of motorists and the rest of the general public.

Being the so-called ‘Guardians of the Highway,’ officers of the PNP-HPG from September 16-22 alone have impounded 722 motor vehicles and motorcycles.

The accomplishments of the PNP-HPG got the nod of the top cop who congratulated the ‘Guardians of the Highways’ for ensuring that motorists who violate the traffic code and other rules and regulations are apprehended to ensure the safety of the general public.

The PNP-HPG is known for impounding hundreds of motor vehicles and motorcycles a week for violation of Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

Members of the unit also impound motorcycles for violation of RA 4136 and other traffic ordinances enacted by local government units.

Gairanod said that among those accosted by his men were drivers of motor vehicles with unauthorized HPG logo/stickers in their windshields; two drivers with illegal horns; 119 for using blinkers/illegal lights; and 37 motorbike drivers with modified mufflers.

The PNP-HPG director said he has also ordered a stepped up enforcement of RA 4136 in busy highways in the country including the Marilaque Road in Rizal province which has been a regular scene of accidents involving so-called ‘Kamote Riders’ performing dangerous motorcycle stunts in the area.

Otherwise known as the Marikina-Infanta Highway, Marilaque Highway is a scenic mountain 117.5-kilomer highway that connects Metro Manila with Rizal, Laguna and Infanta, Quezon. Gairanod said that he has ordered regular HPG patrols in the area to apprehend irresponsible motorcycle drivers.

At the same time, Gairanod said he has instructed his men to go all-out in their effort to apprehend unauthorizedr users of sirens and blinkers. He said that since last August 8, they have already apprehended a number of civilian law enforcers found using sirens and blinkers on their motorcycles while providing unauthorized escort service to their patrons.

He said that he has also turned down request from some local government units and agencies to allow them to use the gadgets since they are not covered by the law.

Under Presidential Decree 96, only marked vehicles of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), the PNP, the Armed Forces, fire trucks and hospital ambulances are allowed to use sirens and blinkers.

The President, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court are the only government officials allowed to attach the devices on their official vehicles.

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