Dealer nabbed for selling ‘hot’ SUV

MANILA, Philippines - A businessman is facing charges for allegedly selling a sport utility vehicle (SUV) reported to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) as stolen, an official said yesterday.

Car dealer Robert Abong was arrested for fencing a Mitsubishi Montero Sport at his shop in Antipolo City last Friday, QCPD director Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao said.

Inspector Manuel dela Cruz, head of the QCPD’s anti-car theft section, said Abong was arrested in a sting shortly after receiving a P20,000 check from an undercover policeman. The Montero Sport was recovered.

The vehicle was the subject of an alarm raised by the Highway Patrol Group.

Pagdilao noted that before the arrest, Christine Maguddatu appeared at the QCPD on Oct. 5 and filed a car theft complaint against Jethro Villa, who originally owned the SUV, with plate number NFQ-159.

Villa had sold the SUV to Maguddatu on July 2 for P600,000. 

Both agreed that the SUV would be delivered to Maguddatu when she needed it because there was no parking space available at her residence in Barangay Milagrosa, Quezon City.

Maguddatu told police she asked Villa to deliver the vehicle to her residence twice, on Sept. 10 and 23, but he failed to do so. This prompted her to report the incident to the authorities.

Pagdilao said the SUV was sold to Abong and spotted at his shop in Antipolo City, where he was selling it for P860,000.