PNP-LTO linked database eyed to stop car theft, carjacking

MANILA, Philippines -  Government authorities are looking into linking the databases of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to stop carjacking and car theft.

“With the electronic linkage of the PNP and LTO databases, both agencies can browse, compare and asses their respective records of data or information on motor vehicles reported lost, recovered or declared to have been totally wrecked,” a source told The STAR.

The electronic linkage between two government agencies was among the ideas raised by a joint Department of Interior and Local Government and Department of Justice task force on carjacking.

The problem was highlighted after the murder of car traders Emerson Lozano and Venson Evangelista and Lozano’s co-employee Ernani Sensil in January. Police believe the murders are connected to alleged carjacking activities by a group led by brothers Roger and Raymond Dominguez. The brothers denied the charges.

Highway Patrol Group (HPG) director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina called on those who are planning to buy previously owned vehicles to get the certificate of registration (CR) of the vehicle and bring the document to the nearest HPG office. He said the HPG can check if the vehicle’s chassis and engine numbers have been altered.

HPG spokesman Superintendent Edwin Butacan earlier said the LTO has no technology to check altered engine and chassis numbers.

Butacan recalled an incident wherein he assisted his nephew in verifying the record of a vehicle with the LTO, which said the car was clean. But a few months later, the HPG-National Capital Region impounded the vehicle over questionable documents.

Another case that indicates the unreliability of the LTO database, according to the HPG, is that of Police Officer 2 Milbert Bicol, who said he checked with the LTO the status of a Ford Everest and his informant told him it was clean. The vehicle turned out to be stolen from Bacoor, Cavite. Bicol has been placed under investigation.