The Regional Highway Patrol Unit (RHPU) is encouraging the public to keep in touch with the office when planning to purchase second hand motor vehicles and motorcycles to avoid buying stolen units.
In a press conference Thursday, HPU Chief of Operations Maj. Peter Daplian reported the Cordillera is becoming a transshipment area for stolen or carnapped vehicles based on their data of recovered units this year.
He said they have recorded three stolen motorcycles and three motor vehicles this year, compared to last year’s 40 cases (31 motorcycles and nine motor vehicles).
However, Daplian said they were able to recover 19 stolen units for this year alone.
“This means ‘yung ninanakaw na motor o sasakyan sa ibang regions, dinadala sa Cordillera kaya mataas ang recovery (rate) natin. Nagiging bagsakan ng stolen vehicles ang Cordillera,” Daplian said.
He said while the number of cases declined due to the restrictions on mobility since March, the RHPU has stepped up their information drive on the presence of their motorcycle verification desk to encourage the public to scrutinize the state of units they are intending to buy, particularly second hand vehicles.
“We are encouraging the public na bago sila bumili ng secondhand na motor vehicle, they proceed first to the Highway Patrol office for verification para hindi sila mapasubo na bumili ng mga nakaw na sasakyan,” he said.
The office has a database of carnapped vehicles nationwide which the public may use for verification.
Buying stolen articles or goods is punishable under the Anti-fencing Law of 1979. – Hanna C. Lacsamana
April 20, 2024
