Cop protecting car thieves?

An official of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) is now in hot water for allegedly protecting a gang of car thieves in Quezon City.

This developed as Senior Inspector Wilfredo Alfonso reportedly surfaced at a Quezon City police station last Saturday to allegedly "fix" the case of the three suspected car thieves, who were arrested by elements of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) over the weekend.

QCPD Director Nicasio Radovan said Alfonso admitted to have hired one of the suspects, Joel Lim, as a CIDG agent. Lim, together with cousins Edwin Madrigal, 34, and Rommel Madrigal, 26, were presented to the media yesterday.

The three men were nabbed by authorities at around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday along Mahabagin St., Teachers Village while in the act of stealing a Toyota Hi-Lux pick-up, with license plate CRB-329, owned by a certain Nicolas Fonte. The van was parked outside Fonte’s house.

Radovan said the same suspects were tagged in the theft of a Nissan Patrol, owned by The Fookien Times Philippines Yearbook publisher and editor-in-chief Vernon Go, along Tomas Morato last July 29.

Radovan noted that the syndicate, known as the Madrigal Group, steals vehicles either through force or at gunpoint, or when the vehicle is parked.

Radovan said that during tactical interrogation, the three men revealed that the stolen vehicles are brought to Kapalangan, Apalit, Pampanga.

The three suspects would be charged with violation of the Anti-Carnapping Law, among others. Meanwhile, Alfonso will be charged for obstruction of justice. Radovan also asked the CIDG to file administrative charges against Alfonso.

"I am appealing to higher authorities to utilize and mobilize all units under its command to curb the incidence of car theft," Radovan said.

The arrest of the suspects over the weekend was a result of intensified barangay and police patrols program of the QCPD.

"We have been following this group for weeks now. In fact, the QCPD already has an artist’s sketch of Lim and Edwin Madrigal," Radovan told The Star.

According to Barangay Captain Federico Jong, barangay watchmen monitored the three suspects aboard a Toyota Corolla, with license plate WMT-663, roving along the street, prompting them to seek help from police via Patrol 117.

Members of a mobile patrol unit from the QCPD Station 9 responded to the alert and, in the coordination with the barangay watchmen, apprehended the suspects.

Authorities confiscated two handguns — a caliber .45, 9mm pistols, keys of different vehicles, six pieces of pick locks, one splicer or monkey wrench, and steel saw.

Police also recovered a CIDG black jacket, various identification cards, including Lim’s CIDG ID and permits to carry firearms, and two Motorola ultra-high frequency handheld radios.

Police said three other suspects managed to evade arrest.

But Radovan said police operation against the group will continue.

During the media presentation yesterday, other victims of the suspects came at the QCPD headquarters and positively identified the group.