HPG to file carnapping charges vs. couple

CEBU, Philippines - The Highway Patrol Group 7 will file two cases today before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office against a suspected car thief who was recently arrested for allegedly selling stolen motor vehicles.

Lawyer Edwin Angay, chief of legal services of the HPG 7, said Jovel Entote will face charges for violating the Republic Act 6539 or the Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 and for violating BP 43 or the law on the issuance of permanent number plates to owners of motor vehicles and trailers.

Angay said same charges will be filed against Entote’s wife, Mary Ann Entote, who was also arrested together with Jovel last Tuesday.

In the search warrant secured by HPG 7, police believe that the couple keeps in their residence different plate numbers, which were attached to motor vehicles, not intended for the said vehicles.

HPG operatives were busy gathering documents and pieces of evidence yesterday to file the case today, Angay said.

HPG 7, in coordination with other police units, was able to recover three cars from Entote. The cars sported fake plate numbers, he said.

Angay said they are still looking for the fourth car which was also reportedly stolen by Entote.

HPG 7’s legal counsel further said that they are still verifying Entote’s background, including his alleged affiliation to car theft syndicates in Luzon.

HPG 7 prevented reporters from interviewing the couple, saying the suspects’ lawyer was not around.

Jovel Entote was arrested last Tuesday by virtue of a warrant of arrest for qualified carnapping issued by a judge in Quezon City.

The case stemmed from a carnapping incident on April 29, 2009 along Katipunan Avenue, Barangay Pansol in Quezon City involving a Toyota Hi-Ace Grandia bearing plate number ZPZ 463.

In the incident, one of the robbers shot and killed the Grandia’s driver, Rodolfo Petalino, and forcibly took the car.

The vehicle was recovered on October last year, already bearing a fake plate number. The NKB Lending Corporation, which claimed ownership of the car, attested that it was Entote who sold the Grandia to their corporation. — (FREEMAN)