TV host’s contempt leaves TMG baffled

Instead of praising police for the speedy recovery of her stolen SUV, television host Iya Villania, for yet unknown reasons, openly showed her displeasure over the recent turn of events.

Due to her apparent non-cooperation, the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office ordered the release for further investigation of four carjacking suspects, one of whom was caught in possession of her stolen vehicle.

Chief Superintendent Augusto Angcanan, director of the Philippine National Police-Traffic Management Group (PNP-TMG), said he himself was surprised by the behavior of the TV host.

Angcanan said Villania was at the TMG impounding compound at Camp Crame last Friday afternoon to identify a black Nissan Patrol that was seized along with four other luxury vehicles from a compound on Narra street in Vista Real Subdivision, Barangay Commonwealth.

"Personally, I am not really happy over what really happened. I feel that there is really something behind these things," Angcanan quoted Villania as saying.

She allegedly made the remark after she was asked to inspect the recovered vehicle and acknowledged that the Patrol was indeed hers.

"She opened the car’s door and following a brief examination, she slammed the door hard, right in front of us. Ni magpasalamat dahil nabawi ang sasakyan niya, wala," Angcanan lamented.

Villania’s tirade, according to him, was largely interpreted by TMG officers as a direct accusation that the unit was involved in carjacking activities.

She displayed a very rude and arrogant behavior," Angcanan said, adding they were not expecting such an attitude from someone who has had a stolen vehicle returned to her.

Angcanan noted that Villania’s behavior and her failure to execute an affidavit to bolster the carjacking case against several suspects only highlighted the dilemma of the police in addressing carjacking incidents in the metropolis.

"If she has something against the TMG, I challenge her to made direct pronouncements linking us to carjacking activities. In doing so, we can defend ourselves, the TMG chief said.

Villania’s Patrol was forcibly taken from her driver on Mother Ignacia street last Nov. 6.

A buy-bust was conducted in Barangay Commonwealth following a tip from an informant that a Partol, which costs P2 million, was being sold for only P850,000.

Last Nov. 12, a TMG agent posed as a buyer and contacted one Patrick Dominic Tuzon, who demanded that he first see the money before a deal could be made.

Last Thursday, TMG undercover officers met with Tuzon at a restaurant in Quezon City. Tuzon then accompanied the agents to Vista Real Subdivision to pick up the vehicle.

Villania’s Patrol was among several vehicles at the compound. Two Mercedes Benz sedans and two BMWs are also believed to be "hot cars."

The TMG said the owner of one of Mercedes sedans showed up yesterday at Camp Crame. The owner said the vehicle was forcibly taken from him only recently.

Last Friday, another claimant went to Camp Crame to prove that one of the recovered BMWs inside the compound being rented by Tuzon was stolen from him last year in Cavite.

The TMG had referred the carjacking case against Tuzon and his cohorts Maurice Valenton, Ellis Emmanuel Guerrero, Jose de los Santos III to the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday.

Anti-carjacking operatives are now looking into the possibility that the four are involved in the activities of three suspected carjackers killed at the Ortigas commercial center last Nov. 7.

Inquest prosecutor Reymundo Aumentado has ordered the four suspects released for further investigation due to the absence of Villania’s affidavit as well as that of her driver.

Aumentado, in ordering the release, also noted the absence of Villania as the complainant, during inquest proceedings.

"You can see that we are fighting an uphill battle against these carjackers because of the lack of cooperation from the victims. In the case of Villania, bahala na ang prosecutor sa kanya," Angcanan said.