Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he’ll be joining random checkpoints conducted by the city’s peace keeping authorities.
After learning that there had been nine carnapping incidents in the city since last January, Duterte said he just might show up by surprise to join inspections conducted by Task Force Davao and the Davao City Police Office (DCPO).
“I will show up at random checkpoints,” he said night of May 30 where he had called for a command conference at Grand Men Seng Hotel.
The vice mayor advised owners and drivers of cars to bring at least a photocopy of the vehicle’s registration from the Land Transportation Office to prove they are the owners or was given authority by the owners to drive the vehicles.
“Di ako ang mag-check, mu-lili sa sakyanan, but I will look for registration. They must have a copy of the registration,” Duterte said.
DCPO chief SSupt. Ronald dela Rosa bared that from January to May 30 this year cars lost to carnapping were all of Toyota brand: six Hilux pick-ups, two Grandia vans, and one Fortuner SUV (sport utility vehicle).
The most recent of which involved one Toyota Grandia Van along Jacinto St. which was reported missing the morning of May 30.
“Sunod-sunod kung umatake at ang tina-target yung mga mabenta at mamahalin. Yung mga na-carnap ay naka-park lang sa gilid ng office o ng bahay. There were no signs of forced entry. May susi ang mga carnappers,” dela Rosa said in an interview.
Hunt down
During the command conference, Vice Mayor Duterte told the police to “hunt down” carnappers and improve their monitoring, street visibility, and intelligence gathering.
“Put up checkpoints at choke points on roads kay kung musulod na sa mga gagmay nga dalan iliko sa mga subdivision wa na, di na makit-an,” he said.
Duterte also told the police not to hesitate gunning down carnappers if they resist arrest.
“Sindikato ni. They go in and out of the city. Pag mainit sa Cebu dito nanaman. Inig madakpan gani ninyo ug manlaban tiwasi. Fight it out. I want the leaders dead,” he said.
“Nakakahiya. Nine carnapping incidents – that’s too many. This is unacceptable for a hardened city. I am not satisfied with the performance of law enforcement,” he added.
Police suspect that the cars were brought to carwash shops or were either used as collateral, leaving the keys to another person.
“We have a theory that the keys were duplicated. Kaya kayo (car-owners) mag-ingat kayo. Make sure na pag magpapa-carwash kayo ang susi ninyo ay nasa inyo,” he said.
On May 31, CIDG 11 deputy regional director CInsp. Edilberto Leonardo said they have alerted units in other regions on the matter.
“We have already alerted other CIDG offices. Nagbigay na kami ng word to those sa Cagayan de Oro, Marawi at iba pa para alam nila. Kasali na ito sa monitoring nila,” he said in an interview at the City Hall following the I-Speak media forum at the City Information Office.
Leonardo also said it is “automatic” for peace-keeping authorities to strengthen their performance.
“We, too, know of these incidents and we are already doing our investigation. Kahit hindi pa kami pinag-sabihan ni Vice Mayor Rody alam naming na dapat palakasin namin ang monitoring,” he said. [Jade C. Zaldivar]
