ACTING on orders of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) director has called on the full cooperation of the public as they further intensify their campaign against car theft, hijacking and highway robbery while going all-out to enforce the country’s traffic rules and regulations.

“We’re not only stepping-up our anti-criminality campaign particularly targeting car thieves, hijackers and highway robbers but we are also intensifying our enforcement of all traffic laws to protect the general public including the students returning to their classes this month,” PNP-HPG director, Brigadier Gen. Clifford B. Gairanod told the Journal Group.

The member of PNP Academy Class 1993 said they are also maximizing their presence along EDSA and other highways and thoroughfares leading to Manila’s University-Belt Area and other private and public colleges and universities, high schools and elementary schools to help protect the students and the rest of the general public amid the formal opening of School Year 2022-2023 last Monday.

From August 8 to 18 alone, PNP-HPG agents across the country have recovered 16 stolen motor vehicles and four stolen motorcycles and arrested 14 persons wanted for violation of the anti-carnapping law.

The unit also confiscated three sirens, 26 horns, 142 LED lamps, 19 strobe lights, 29 fog lights, 73 blinkers, 50 modified mufflers and 101 unauthorized plates in line with its campaign against violators of Presidential Decree 96 which penalizes the unauthorized use of ‘wang-wangs,’ blinkers and other illegal gadgets in the country.

Under the law, only marked vehicles of the PNP, the Armed Forces, Presidential Security Group, Bureau of Fire Protection, other law enforcement agencies and ambulances are authorized to use sirens and blinkers.

During the period, the PNP-HPG also impounded 251 motor vehicles or vehicles with 4-wheels and above and 932 motorcycles for different violations. A total of 3,540 Temporary Operator’s Permit and 20,611 Ordinance Violation Receipts were also issued by PNP-HPG operatives on accosted violators during the same period.

Among the wanted stolen motor vehicles recovered by the PNP-HPG since last August 12 were a Nissan Navara pickup and a Chevrolet Aveo sedan in Cauayan City in Isabela; a Hyundai van in Maria Aurora, Aurora; a Hyundai Accent in Tuguegarao City, Cagyan; a Rusi 125cc motorcycle in Ramon, Isabela; a Toyota Fortuner in Mabalacat, Pampanga; a Toyota Corolla in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; a Mitsubishi Fuso Jitney in Sta. Cruz, Laguna; a TVS 125cc Rocks motorbike in Sta. Cruz, Laguna; a Suzuki Skydrive motorcycle in Cavite; a Yamaha Mio Sporty motorcycle in Laguna; a Toyota Wigo sedan in Panabo City in Davao del Norte; a Toyota Innova in Marawi City; a Toyota Rush along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City; a Toyota Fortuner in Pasig City; a Hyundai Accent in Pasay City; and a Ford Chevrolet SUV along C5 Road in Pasig City.

The recovered vehicles were reported to have Failed to Return, sold to other persons thru the so-called ‘Rent-Sangla’ scheme, forcible taken or stolen while parked unattended.

Among the wanted car theft personalities with warrants arrested by the PNP-HPG during the period include Everette Avellano, Margerie and Junard Silva who were arrested in Aurora; Necitas Torres who was arrested in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Ronald Barhil, arrested in Calamba City, Laguna; Brylle Ligaya, arrested in Bacolod City; Kevin Bandong, arrested in Bacolod City; Almer Hajijalil, arrested in Carcar City in Cebu, Bryan Hernandez, arrested in Mandaluyong City; and Eduardo Bulusan, arrested in Project 2, Quezon City.

Gairanod said that at present, they are further upgrading the HPG Vehicle Information Management System (VIMS) which is the central repository of alarmed and carnapped motor vehicles for eventual inter-connectivity with the systems of the PNP Central Operations Center and the different Regional Tactical Operations Center of the 17 Police Regional Offices, Regional Highway Patrol Units, the 5 police districts of the National Capital Region Police Office in Metro Manila and the different Police Provincial Offices and City Police Stations.

Gairanod was the erstwhile director of the PNP Headquarters Support Service who strictly enforced discipline and other rules and regulations inside Camp Crame from December 1, 2021 until he was designated by Azurin last August 8 as the new PNP-HPG director vice Brig. Gen. Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, now the new Police Regional Office 8 director in Eastern Visayas.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon