Senior Police Officer 3 Elpidio Soquina, officer-in-charge of the anti-car theft division of the Parañaque police, identified the two suspects as Feliciano Santos, 38, and Rogelio Manabat, 23, both of Don Benito street, Doña Justa, Angono, Rizal.
Initial investigation showed at around 1 a.m. the two suspects were with a certain "Rigor" as they entered the Sun Valley Subdivision on board a gray Toyota Corona (NTL-654). Rigor then told the two men to stay inside the car and wait for him.
Minutes later, Rigor was driving a white Mazda 323 (LCS-928), which police said belongs to a certain Manilyn Magano. It was stolen while parked outside her house at 311 Humming Bird street, Countryside Village, Barangay Sun Valley in Parañaque City.
One of the victim’s relatives saw the car speeding toward one of the exit gates and immediately alerted the nearby police detachment and on duty security men.
Rigor eluded arrest, but his two alleged cohorts — Santos and Manabat — were apprehended.
SPO4 Soquina said Rigor could be part of a gang that often targets unattended vehicles and later chops them up to sell parts and accessories.
But Manabat claimed they were not aware of Rigor’s illegal activities.
"Rigor told us that we were going to Sun Valley Subdivision to visit a friend and did not know what he was about to do. We saw him speeding off in the Mazda and decided to follow him,’ he said. – Evelyn Macairan