Thieves take DFA chief's car

MANILA, Philippines – Unidentified suspects took off with the cars of former Foreign Affairs secretary Roberto Romulo and Japanese Koji Hasegawa at The Fort in Taguig City the other day.

The carjackers took Romulo’s beige Toyota Camry with license plates ZNL 415 and Hasegawa’s gray Toyota Innova with license plates ZCE 378 last Monday.

Police said Romulo’s driver Danilo Quilong-Quilong and Hasegawa’s driver Nomer de Vera were reportedly having a snack along Merit Road near the British School Manila and the Department of Energy compound at around 2 p.m. when two armed men alighted from a black Honda CRV and took their car keys at gunpoint.

The drivers tried to resist but one of the suspects allegedly fired a warning shot.

The carjackers who were wearing masks, immediately fled towards Kalayaan C-5 Road, Makati City, police said.

Elements of the Taguig police community precinct 7 responded to the scene and found an empty shell of a .22 caliber pistol. Taguig City police chief Senior Superintendent Camilo Cascolan said authorities are still clueless on who is behind the carjacking incident.

Inspector Rey Ibon, head of Taguig’s anti-carnapping unit, said the case is now being handled by the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group based at Camp Crame, Quezon City following Romulo’s request.