Hole of Justice: A PNP Limited Edition

Hole of Justice: A PNP Limited Edition: Hole of Justice by Peter G. Jimenea   A Police Limited Edition   A friend, ret. P/Supt. Romeo Laurinaria, Chief of the High...

A PNP Limited Edition

Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea

 

A Police Limited Edition

 

A friend, ret. P/Supt. Romeo Laurinaria, Chief of the Highway Patrol Group, R6, come back to Iloilo City to give me the book authored by his younger brother P/Capt. Renato Laurinaria, one of the most bemedalled police officers of his time.

The young Laurinaria once headed the HPG’s Special Operations Unit, TF Limbas that has solved so many carjacking cases since 1990’s. But the loop-holes in our laws, softened further by inept or corrupt police investigators, prosecutors and/or judges, exonerate the criminals as fast as they are hard to catch.

Modus Operandi: Ativan Gang. During the 90’s, carjackers observed “no harm” to victims on a peaceful takeover of their vehicles. The unsuspecting driver is made to drink coffee, soft-drinks or water mixed with sleeping pills they called “Ativan tablet” to neutralize him, thus, the name.

The modus was initiated by renting vehicles to supposedly fetch their arriving relatives or OFW at the NAIA Terminal. While on waiting out there, the driver is offered food and drinks that will be his last recollection of what happened when he woke up after having been asleep for two or three days.

Target vehicles of the gang were locally assembled motor vehicles like jitneys, jeepneys and owner-type jeep. Once in the possession of the carjacked vehicle, their own accredited auto repair shop will do the re-assembling for a new legal chassis and engine block engraved with new motor number.

Necessary documentation would then be produced to make it appear that such repair shop was the one which assembled the vehicle. Through their cohorts at the MV spare parts dealers and the LTO (another labelled corrupt agency), the laundered vehicle would eventually be registered legally.

This modus to drug their victims by the Ativan Gang is also being used today by some taxi drivers to innocent passengers through the ventilation of the vehicle‘s aircon especially when the passengers are women taking the front seat. There had been lot of recorded complaints about this case.

Protection from corrupt police officials and influential people they may have gifted with accomplishment for neutralization of rivals or expendable members, have emboldened the suspects to do their mess. A classic example is the now household name Dominguez brothers Carnap Gang. (We will go to that later).

The Ativan Gang has come into notice by the HPG Special Operation Unit (SOU) TF Limbas with the reported growing incidents of carjacking cases throughout the country.  They were arrested by a team of intelligence officers posting as Van and jeepney drivers at NAIA Airport.

Strings of cases were filed against Ativan Gang members in Court. But a “snail pace” court litigation process redounds to the retirement of ANCAR operatives who served as government witnesses and of complainants losing interest in the case.

One thing is suspect though. No criminal syndicate can last long in the business without the participation of ranking men in uniform. In fact, the nine carjacked vehicles recovered by P/Supt. Laurenaria, impounded at Camp Delgado, have disappeared in just a month after his relief without report whatsoever.

Unless there is a rigid training for discipline coupled with genuine reform in the PNP, it will give us an impression without affirming the perception that what is somewhat missing in the empty life of those crooks in police uniform is to die with dignity.

Add to that the discourteous uniformed officers manning the PNP checkpoints. The PO1, PO2 and PO3 intoxicated by the police uniform they are so proud of, have GMRC of limited edition – no fake, no copy. With tolerant superior, we can be the last casualty of this new syndicate we have to deal with.

Next: The Kuratong Baleleng Group