This was after an intensified campaign against suspected car thieves in Central Luzon and nearby Metro Manila was ordered.
This is the second batch of stolen vehicles recovered by TMO3 operatives in a span of two weeks in Central Luzon.
The confiscated vehicles — a white Mitsubishi L300 FB van with license plate UFL-338, Hyundai Starex van with license plate JBH-647, and a two-door Nissan Terrano were in the possession of a prominent businessman in Angeles City and the City of San Fernando, said Superintendent Eleuterio Gutierrez, regional chief of TMO3.
Gutierrez said he received information that two hot vehicles were seen in Angeles City, prompting him to dispatch mobile teams in the area.
First to be recovered was the L300 FB van, driven by a certain Edgardo Nacpil, of 10-4 Maria Clara Road, Essel Park Subdivision, Barangay Telabastagan, City of San Fernando. The vehicle was reportedly sold by Larry Cabrera, a known financier of a big syndicate operating in Central Luzon.
Gutierrez said Nacpil showed the vehicle’s documents to TMO operatives but when checked, the body number appearing in the certificate of registration originally belonged to a pick-up truck.
The Hyundai Starex Van, driven by a certain Michael de Leon Tuazon, a businessman, of Barangay Salapungan, Angeles City, was flagged down along Mcarthur Highway in Barangay Balibago. The vehicle was later found to have a tampered chassis number. Meanwhile, the third vehicle was accosted for illegal transfer of plates.
Gutierrez brought the recovered vehicles to Camp Crame in Quezon City for custody after undertaking the necessary laboratory and macro-etching examination.
Recently, two luxury vehicles were seized by TMO3 operatives during a raid at the residence of a prominent businessman in Carmenville Subdivision.
Gutierrez and his men pulled out a Mitsubishi Pajero and an Mitsubishi Adventure from the garage of Reynaldo Tayag by virtue of a search warrant issued by an Angeles City court.
Gutierrez said criminal complaints had been filed against the persons who were caught driving the stolen vehicles.