Carjack ring leader, 7 cohorts nabbed in Calamba

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna, Philippines – The suspected leader of a carjacking ring and seven of his cohorts, including a woman, were arrested in a junkshop here yesterday morning, a day after they hijacked a truck of an ice plant in Tanauan City, Batangas.

Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, Laguna police director, said the syndicate led by Jun Mendoza, 38, was behind a number of carjacking cases in Metro Manila and the Calabarzon region.

Cruz said Mendoza owned the junkshop where vehicles his group had stolen are cannibalized.

Mendoza’s arrested cohorts were identified as Oliver Ducosin, 29, his nephew; Hernel Evangelista and Mark Quijano, 33, both scrap dealers; Bernardo Aputar, 35; Romy Bacuto, 47; Roger Navales, 39; and Maria Teresa de Leon, 39. Another suspect, a certain Melvin Estrada, managed to escape.

Cruz said Mendoza’s group has been dubbed the “60 minutes gang,” as they disposed of hijacked items within 60 minutes with the help of auto dealers, just like in the movie “Gone with 60 Seconds” starring Nicholas Cage.

Cruz said his men seized cannibalized parts of the truck owned by Goldstar Ice Plant, three caliber .45 pistols, four plastic sachets containing dread marijuana leaves, and an Isuzu Canter used by the gang in transporting parts of stolen vehicles to various dealers of second-hand vehicle parts in Cala­barzon.

Superintendent Joel Pernito, Calamba City police chief, said charges of car theft, robbery, illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of illegal drugs will be filed against Mendoza and his cohorts before the Calamba City prosecutor’s office today.

Truck driver Roderick Watan, 38, told The STAR that he and his two helpers, Henry Macahiya and Dramreb Primatilla, 38, were on their way to the ice plant when they were flagged down by three armed men onboard a motorcycle and a car at around 2:30 a.m. Saturday.

Watan said they had just come from Lipa City to deli­ver ice cubes when the incident took place in Barangay Darasa, Tanauan City.

He said the armed men ordered them to alight from the truck and then tied up and blindfolded them. They were later dumped in a sugar plantation in Barangay Malaki Pulo, Tanauan City.

Watan said they sought the help of residents and barangay officials who in turn informed the Calamba City police and the Regional Special Operations Group.