2 men charged for carnapping

CEBU - TWO men are now facing charges for carnapping before the Regional Trial Court for selling an alleged carnapped vehicle three years ago.

The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office found probable to hold Gerette Rosaldo and Renante Baco liable for carnapping. On top of the carnapping case, the two are likewise indicted for estafa together with Paul Yap, who acted as middleman in the sale of the vehicle.

Cebu City prosecutor Nicolas Sellon has recommended a bail of P180,000 each for Rosaldo and Baco for carnapping and another P40,000 for each of them including Yap for estafa.

The cases stemmed from the apprehension of an Isuzu Crosswind by the elements of the Traffic Management Group in February 2006. The vehicle was found to be a subject of a carnapping alarm in Davao City.

The owner of the vehicle, Jonahley Undag claimed that she acquired the vehicle from Baco thru a trade-in scheme in March 2005 in exchange for her Isuzu Highlander and her paying an additional P100,000.

It was Yap who allegedly caused the publication of the Crosswind for sale in the newspaper.

Undag accused the three of conniving with each other in defrauding her.

Undag was included in the carnapping case that the TMG-7 has filed before the prosecutor’s office but she was exonerated for lack of evidence. In fact, it was Undag who voluntarily surrendered the vehicle to the police after learning that it was carnapped.

Investigation conducted by the TMG revealed that the Isuzu Crosswind sold by Rosaldo and Baco was stolen on April 17, 2004 while parked along Jacinto Extension in Davao City. — Fred P. Languido/WAB (THE FREEMAN)