TMG given two weeks to end carjack spree

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes gave the Traffic Management Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP-TMG) two weeks to put an end to carjacking incidents in Metro Manila.

Reyes, who also heads the newly formed National Anti-Crime Task Force (NACTAF) issued the ultimatum following the rise in the number incidents involving luxury vehicles being forcibly taken from owners in the last few weeks.

He also directed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao to monitor the performance of newly appointed TMG director Chief Superintendent Augusto Angcanan.

"The carnapping problem was one of the topics during today’s meeting of NACTAF’s operating units. We made sure that the problem is addressed," Reyes said.

Angcanan’s predecessor, Chief Superintendent Ricardo Quinto, has taken an indefinite leave of absence following criticism of his performance in addressing car thefts.

Reyes met with operating units of NACTAF, composed of elements from the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other law enforcement agencies.

Lomibao, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Anselmo Avenido, NBI Assistant Director Nestor Mantaring of NBI, Land Transportation Office chief Aneli Lontoc, Senior Prosecutor Emily de los Santos, members of the directorial staff of the PNP and representatives from the military vowed to come up with measures to curb, if not totally eradicate, carjacking.

Most victims claimed the carjackers were wearing police uniforms when they struck.

Through Executive Order 463, President Arroyo formed NACTAF to address the criminality problem in the country.

In response, Reyes directed members of the task force to be aggressive in the anti-crime campaign as he vowed to reduce criminality to its minimum level by Christmas so people will feel secure during the holidays.

Reyes said NACTAF will aggressively pursue several "quick win" projects like higher police visibility, a sustained gun ban campaign and implementation of the "no plate, no travel" policy.

Statistics from TMG showed that there were 902 car theft incidents from January to October this year. A total of 562, or 62 percent, occurred in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Police District intelligence operatives are hot on the trail of car thieves who eluded arrest when their safehouse in Project 8 was raided the other day.

Superintendent Rodolfo Jaraza, chief of the QCPD District Intelligence Unit, said follow-up operations are being conducted to catch the suspects, who have been moving from one place to another to elude arrest.

"We almost got them last night during a car chase," Jaraza said without elaborating.

He said the gang, one of three armed groups operating in Metro Manila, has been trying to find a new safehouse as a result of the police manhunt.

Jaraza said a Nissan Exalta sedan (WRU-101) that was recovered at a compound in GSIS Village last Wedensday, had been forcibly taken from its owner on Timog Avenue last Sept. 17.

The raiding team also found assorted car plates and car parts taken from stolen vehicles inside the compound. The suspects would change the license plates of stolen vehicles and dismantle others for parts before taking them to nearby provinces. – With Perseus Echeminada