Wednesday, May 14, 2008 4 TMG officials charged with carnapping By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
CARNAPPING charges have been filed against members of the Traffic Management Group for impounding a vehicle they flagged down along Bacaca road, Davao City.
The suspects identified as General Palad, Police Superintendent Ernesto Tesoro, lawyer Edwin Engay, Police Superintendent Antonio Gardiola, all of the Traffic Management Group (TMG), and Ramon Dimacali and Mario Montero of the Federal Phoenix Assurance Co. were charged based on the complaint of the owner, Johnny Lee Ng, resident of Torres corner Veloso streets in Bo. Obrero, Davao City.
In his affidavit, Ng said he is the registered owner of a Mitsubushi Pajero and even secured a macro-etching certificate from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory to affirm that the engine and chassis numbers of the vehicle were not tampered.
He said that at around 10:15 a.m. of April 3, he was informed by his driver, Eric Javer Comanda, that he was accosted by unidentified men accordingly under the direct supervision of Engay of Task Force Limbas.
He claimed that his driver was accused of not wearing seatbelt.
The vehicle, which was confiscated for having no LTO validation and for using dark tint, was brought to TMG office in Ecoland.
He said his driver was arrested and was brought to the said office for interrogation and was told that the Pajero is a carnapped vehicle.
The driver was just released at around 7 p.m. His driver's license was photocopied and he was issued a temporary operator's permit.
He said that in the time of impoundment, no notice of impoundment was ever issued by the suspects and there was no documents shown to him.
He claimed he went to the TMG office to question the seizure of his vehicle and was told that the said vehicle was carnapped.
He said he showed all the documents but the operatives refused to release the said vehicle thus, the filing of the case.
