"Our headquarters ordered us to conduct intensified monitoring and surveillance activities" of the carnap group, Senior Police Officer 4 Nestor Bandigan, chief of the provincial Traffic Management Group, said.
Bandigan earned one of two commendations to the TMC by Cristeto Rey Gonzalodo, TMG director for Western Mindanao, last month when they foiled the carnap of one Lite Ace Van owned by one E.C. Basilio of Zamboanga City.
The other awardee was SPO1 Cornelio Lahayan. He was the team leader of the unit that intercepted the Lite Ace Van in Naga town, some 13 kilometers northeast of Ipil, and captured the suspects.
According to Lahayan, his team was conducting check point in Naga town last month when they noticed the van with suspicious-looking persons inside.
“When we flagged down the van, the people inside ignored the signal to stop and drove past through us in haste," Lahayan said.
The suspects, Lahayan said, were forced to stop and tried to escape when they noticed that the team followed them. Three of the four suspects were captured after a brief chase and were found armed with .45 caliber pistol.
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The suspects were identified as A.M. Kahong, M.C. Casim, and J.J. Kamil, all of Zamboanga City, Bandigan said.
Bandigan said "it is most likely” that the carnap group’s mastermind is in Ipil “because the suspects are very knowledgeable about the area.”
“The suspects really know where and whom they are going to v”ictimize," Bandigan said, adding that the group often victimized "habal-habal" or tricycle, drivers in the area. (Antonio Manaytay / MindaNews)