Three alleged carnappers nabbed in QC

By Ronron
July 4, 2007

Three suspected members of a carnapping syndicate that operates in Quezon City were apprehended by policemen dawn of Wednesday.

Sr. Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula, chief of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), identified the suspects as Gilbert Sablan, Leonardo Tablante, and Christine Tablante.

The three are said to be members of the Tablante Carnapping Group headed by Rico Tablante who remains at large, Gatdula said. Leonardo, he said, is Rico’s brother while Christine is the latter’s wife.

Gatdula said the three were nabbed inside the Tablante residence at No. 14 Mark Street, Filinvest II Subdivision in Batasan Hills, Quezon City as elements of the QCPD Anti-Carnapping Section and Batasan Police Station were tracing a Pajero stolen late Tuesday night inside the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman.

A certain Atoy Laynes had earlier reported to police that his black Pajero got lost past 9pm of Tuesday inside UP.

A check through an installed tracking device of the vehicle led operatives to Filinvest II Subdivision. With the help of an asset who used to be connected with the Tablante group, police found Laynes’ car at the garage of the Tablante residence, said Gatdula.

There, police found more vehicles and other pieces of evidence of alleged cargnapping activities of the group: a Chrysler van, a brand new Volks Wagen, a Toyota Hi-Lux, a Mistubishi van, a Toyota Lite-Ace, assorted hub cubs, tirings, car spare parts, registered stickers, OR/CR (Official Receipt/Certificate of Registration) of the vehicle of one Arceli Yano that was also carnapped inside the UP campus almost two weeks ago.

“So far, this is the organized carnapping group we know that operates in Quezon City, while the others just operate on a fly-by-night basis,” Gatdula told reporters Wednesday at Camp Karingal during the presentation of the recovered vehicles.

Gatdula said Rico, who reportedly has a car-exchange business and a bar in Metro Manila, is now subject of a manhunt operation.

Charges of carnapping are now being prepared against the suspects, said Gatdula.

Quezon City used to be tagged as the carnapping capital of the country because of numerous incidents that happened there. Police had said car thieves easily operate around the city because of its wide area./DMS