Taguig mayor to city cops: Intensify drive vs crime

MANILA, Philippines - Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano on Tuesday called on the city’s police department to intensify its drive against crime following the discovery on Monday of a warehouse in Barangay Lower Bicutan containing several stolen trucks that have been stripped and cannibalized for parts. 

“This is evidently an accomplishment for the police and a big blow to the syndicate that is involved in this type of racket. I am sure that our police will pursue a criminal case against the people behind the illegal operation. Also I want to make it clear to these criminals that Taguig City is not a place for chop-chop parts, nor for illegal drugs, kidnappings and carnappings. We will not tolerate these criminal acts here,” Mayor Cayetano said.

Monday’s early morning raid on the warehouse yielded stolen trucks that have already been cannibalized for parts.

A report from the Southern Police District (SPD) said the raid was done at about 2:13 a.m. on a warehouse located along Manuel Luis Quezon Street in Purok 4A.

The raiding team was composed of elements from the Taguig City and the Sta. Maria, Bulacan police.

According to the SPD, a search of the raided warehouse led to the discovery of a white Mazda truck with conduction sticker RJ 4445. The truck was earlier reported to the Sta. Maria Bulacan police as stolen last Sunday afternoon.

Also found with the stolen truck inside the warehouse were several other trucks which have already been cannibalized for spare parts. The trucks have already been stripped of their engines when they were found by the raiding team, police said.

The SPD said police officers later questioned the caretaker of the warehouse and found out that the owner is a police officer identified as a certain SPO1 Wilson Regala.

The Taguig Police Anti-Carnapping unit led by Senior Inspector Ruther Saquilayan has launched a hunt for Regala who could face car theft charges for keeping stolen vehicles in his warehouse.

Meanwhile, Cayetano also lauded the Taguig City police for arresting all the top 10 drug traffickers in the city in operations between July and October this year.

Mayor Cayetano said the solid and strong partnership between the city government and the city police station proved crucial in Taguig City’s fight against crime. 

An evaluation report by the SPD also cited the Taguig City police for its outstanding average of 100 percent in arresting wanted criminals operating in the city. 

“I assure the people of Taguig that my administration will continue to support our local police in its anti-crime efforts,” Mayor Cayetano said.