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
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