Man who took The Freeman van charged for carnapping

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office  indicted a 36-year-old man for allegedly stealing the delivery van of local newspaper company The FREEMAN.

Assistant city prosecutor Mary Ann Castro found probable cause to hold Ramonito Tribunal, a resident of Upper Tawason, Mandaue City, for trial for carnapping.

Tribunal chose not to file counter-affidavit during his inquest proceeding to answer the allegations filed against him. Instead, he manifested to face the charges in court.

Castro recommended P120,000 bail for the accused’s temporary liberty.

Alce Booc, 43, a barangay tanod in Barangay Bacayan, Cebu City, said he was a complaining witness against the accused.

He said on February 1, 2015 at around 9 p.m., while he was on duty, he received a call asking to verify an L300 van parked in Sitio Centro, Barangay Bacayan which was believed to be carnapped.

Acting on the report, he went to the area with his colleague Alvin Miñoza and noticed a parked Mitsubishi L300 van with markings PRESS and The FREEMAN on it and with plate number YKS 648.

He said he saw a man inside the driver set lying. The man was later identified as Tribunal.

When Booc asked if he was the driver of the said vehicle, the latter said the driver left and that he was supposedly waiting for him to come back.

Benjamin Marcojos, 45, was the legitimate driver of the said vehicle.

He said on February 1 at about 4:15 p.m., while he was checking the van outside their office in Barangay Sto. Niño, Cebu City, he noticed that the fuel gauge was empty. This prompted him to get a gas slip inside their office while leaving the engine on.

When he came back, however, the said vehicle was no longer in the place so he alerted the guard on duty.

At around 9:20 p.m., upon his return to his office, he reported the incident to his superior.

His colleague Edgardo Pastera, who hails from Barangay Bacayan, then told him that while the former was driving his service motorcycle to the office, he saw the L300 van parked along the road in Sitio Centro.

Tribunal was then arrested.  (FREEMAN)