3 Koreans fall for carnapping

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City Police Office arrested three other Korean nationals who were the alleged masterminds in the series of Hyundai Starex van thefts in Metro Cebu.

Kim Kyung Hwan, 33, of El Dorado Subdivision in Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, was arrested by operatives of the City Intelligence Bureau, Investigative and Detective Management Bureau (IDMB) and the Casuntingan Police Station of the Mandaue City Police Office around 3 p.m. Wednesday inside his car display shop.

Kim is the operator of Junghap Car Distributor based in Barangay Cabangcalan.

His two business partners, Won Sheok Lee, 32, and Jang Hyun Lee, 33, were arrested an hour later at the Castillex Compound Warehouse 11 in Barangay Cabanclan.

Won and Jang, who both hold tourist passports, are temporarily residing at Agro-Macro Subdivision in Cabancalan.  The three were arrested after they were positively seen by policemen as the ones who boarded a stolen Silver Grey Starex van.

The van, with plate number JEH 875, was owned by Engr. Francisco Perater. The vehicle was later abandoned at Villa Therese Subdivision in Barangay Casuntingan.

Three policemen rushed to the area after reports about the presence of abandoned Starex vans in the different areas in Barangay Cabancalan.

P/Supt. Josefino Ligan, the chief of the City Intelligence Bureau, said the three suspects are considered masterminds of a carnapping syndicate operating in Metro Cebu.

Ligan said it was possible that the three were the ones who brought the two Korean nationals earlier arrested to Cebu from South Korea.

But he said that they have yet to check with the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) how long these three Koreans have been living in Cebu.

He said that during interrogations, the three suspects denied involvement in the series of car thefts.

“Natural nga mo-deny gyud sila. But since there was a positive identification that they were the ones who boarded the abandoned stolen vehicle, I think it will suffice in the filing of the case,” Ligan said.

Ligan also said the arrest of the three Korean nationals only confirmed the statements made by the two Koreans who were earlier arrested, Kim Jae Young and Hong Seo Yong, that their masterminds would sell the stolen vehicles to potential buyers along A.S Fortuna Street in Barangay Cabancalan.

It was learned that Junghap Car Distributor is owned Kim Kyung Hwan, who allegedly used his manager, Roldan Alesna, as his dummy.

Alesna went to the IDMB office yesterday to clear his name, telling police that he knew nothing of the illegal activities of his employer.

He assured to cooperate with the police.

Casuntingan Police Station chief Sr. Insp. Meche Gabod said they have documents that the warehouse where most of the Starex vans were recovered is also being leased by Kim Kyung Hwan.

The recovered vans were hidden inside the warehouse, according to the statement of a security guard and some workers of the compound.

During a raid on the warehouse Wednesday afternoon, the police seized dismantled parts of a Starex van.

When Won Sheok Lee and Jang Hyun Lee arrived around 4 p.m. they were immediately arrested by police after they were positively identified as the ones who abandoned Perater’s van.

Two other Starex vans with no plate number were seized at the shop of Kim Kyung Hwan yesterday morning.

Ligan said Perater filed a carnapping case yesterday against the three Koreans.

Another Korean national, Seung Dong Park, went to the IDMB office yesterday to inform the police that her Starex van was missing in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.

As of now, police have recovered at least 12 Starex vans.

Denial

One of the two alleged masterminds of a Korean carnapping syndicate went to the police to clear his name.

Cho Hyun Cher went to the Police Regional Office7 Wednesday afternoon to deny any involvement in the series of car thefts.

The two South Korean nationals arrested last Monday named Cho and a certain “Mr. Lim” as their masterminds.

Supt. Pablo Labra II, acting chief of the Regional Intelligence Division, said they went to Cho’s residence in Ma. Luisa Village in Barangay Talamban Wednesday morning.

However, Labra said, Cho was not around. The police went to Mr. Lim’s residence in Lapu-lapu City and also failed to find him, Labra said.

 â€œHe (Cho) denied any involvement and in fact, mutabang daw siya pagpangita sa usa (Mr. Lim),” said Labra.

Cho told police that Mr. Lim is his business partner in selling used cars in Mandaue City.

“Nailhan na g’yud daw na silang duha na magkuyog kay business partner sila,” the RID head said.

Nevertheless, Labra said they will verify Cho’s statement.

He warned Cho of possible charges that the police may still file against him.

Although Cho was tagged as part of the syndicate, Labra said they cannot arrest him until they have stronger evidence against him.

The police official said they will monitor Cho and will hunt down Mr. Lim, whom they believe is still in the country.

Last Monday, police have arrested South Koreans Kim Jae Young and Hong Seo Yong and Filipino nurse Raphael Montilla, who were alleged to be members of the syndicate.

Australian arrested

Cebu City policemen arrested an Australian national who fled from police during a checkpoint.

Chief Insp. Wildemar Tiu, chief of Waterfront Police Station, said Andrew Compton, 48, was later found driving without license. Tiu said the foreigner did not use seatbelt and lacked documents.

Tiu said they were conducting a checkpoint along Legaspi Street near Plaza Independencia when they spotted Compton driving a black Starex van (GRM 983) at 11 a.m. yesterday.

Ako siya gi-stop then miadto siya sa side. Ning-slow down siya then nipabuhot bitaw na og padagan,” Tiu said.

The police chased the van and finally apprehended Compton along S. Osmeña Boulevard.

Compton, who claimed to be an employee of Philippine Light Leather Inc., was able to present an official receipt showing that the company owns the car. He refused to be interviewed by reporters.

Tiu said they would impound the vehicle while the Highway Patrol Group-7 will verify whether the vehicle was stolen. —/LPM (FREEMAN)