Carjacker wants to turn state witness

MANILA, Philippines - A confessed carjacker wants to turn state witness, but authorities are not keen on supporting his bid, police said yesterday.

Edelberto Marteja, 22, appears to be a major player in the carjacking group, said Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent George Regis.

“He is not the ‘least guilty’ when you talk about their participation in the carjacking hits that he admitted they had staged,” Regis said in an interview.

Inspector Rogelio Diaz, chief investigator of the QCPD’s District Anti-Carnapping Unit, said Marteja is in the process of submitting documents to the court to back his bid to turn state witness.

Marteja and three others were arrested in Quezon City in a stolen vehicle in August.

Back in July, the group’s alleged leader, Francis Briones, and four others were arrested, leading to the recovery of two stolen sport utility vehicles. Briones and two others have reportedly posted bail.

Police said Marteja leads during the actual carjacking. Marteja has admitted that Briones is the one who relay to them the type of vehicle preferred by a buyer.