AGENTS of the Philippine National Police Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) early evening Thursday arrested a police official found to be in possession of a ‘hot car,’ PNP-IMEG director, Brigadier General Ronald O. Lee said.
In a report to PNP chief, General Archie Francisco F. Gamboa, the official identified the accused as Lieutenant Colonel Renato Castillo, currently assigned with the Regional Personnel Holding Administrative Section of the National Capital Region Police Office.
Castillo, when questioned said he merely bought the vehicle from another person in good faith and added he has no knowledge it was a stolen one.
The 46-year-old police official was intercepted by operatives from the PNP-IMEG, the PNP Highway Patrol Group Special Operations Division/Task Force Limbas, the NCRPO Regional Intelligence Division and the PNP Intelligence Group Counter-Intelligence Division while driving a red Toyota Innova with plate no. AAM-3350 along Barangay Silangan in San Mateo, Rizal at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
The wagon turned out to be included in the PNP-HPG list of stolen motor vehicles as it was reportedly stolen while parked unattended along Magnolia Street in Roxas District in Quezon City on August 5, 2014. Its registered owner Jonnel Sangalang filed an official complaint to the PNP-HPG regarding the theft of his motor vehicle which has the original plate no. WKO-650 when it was stolen.
A record check from the Land Transportation Office showed that the plate no. AAM-3350 was originally intended for an Isuzu DMax pick-up.
The official who is now being held at the PNP-IMEG headquarters was stripped of his PNP-issued Pietro Berretta pistol with a magazine containing 11 live ammunition.
He will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act 10883 or the New Anti-Carnapping Law, violation or RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards.
