THE National Police recovered 19 stolen vehicles in a series of operations in Mindanao, and uncovered in the process the operation of a carjacking syndicate operating in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The seized luxury vehicles were presented to the National Police chief, Director General Avelino Razon Jr., on Thursday at the compound of the Traffic Management Group (TMG) in Camp Crame, Quezon City, where the vehicles were taken.

The discovery of the operation of the “Luzviminda” carnap group and the recovery of the vehicles came following the arrest of Philippine Basketball Association player Lordy Tugade in Mandaluyong City last November 21 for violating traffic rules.

Chief Supt. Perfecto Palad, highway patrol commander, said that when Tugade was flagged down, he failed to present the registration papers of his Toyota Fortuner bearing license plate LMG-164, prompting the policemen to take him to the TMG headquarters for questioning.

Palad said a further check with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), revealed that the vehicle was registered in Bislig City, in the name of a certain Edmundo Pang Sr. of Mati, Davao Oriental.

The arrest was followed by the success of the TMG in foiling an attempt to smuggle to Cebu, through the North Harbor in Manila, early last month a Honda CRV and a Mitsubishi Strada.

The incidents triggered a series of operations in the Visayas and Mindanao, where the other stolen vehicles were seized.

Palad said they learned that some of the vehicles were stolen in Metro Manila and shipped to the Visayas and Mindanao, where they are registered with the LTO offices there. Two of these offices are those in Zamboanga City and in Toledo, Cebu.                                                                                                              

Some of the vehicles were also smuggled from Thailand, and Malaysia, through the Subic Free Port and were taken to the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Ex-senior government execs question GMA’s capability to govern

A GROUP of former senior government officials on Thursday questioned President Arroyo’s moral authority and capability to govern owing to the corruption scandals rocking her administration.

AMID Beijing’s protest against the bill establishing the Philippines’ territorial baseline, the country should not be negotiating with any party in relation to the issue, since it is the country’s right to do it.

SENATE President Manny Villar Jr., asserting that senators have not been remiss in their legislative duties despite ongoing inquiries into administration anomalies, reported that the Senate has passed 23 bills of national significance during the first regular session of the current Congress.

OLONGAPO CITY—Four persons, including a magazine model and Viva Films contract star, were found dead in a burned apartment here at dawn Thursday.

AN alarming majority of Moros believe that violence during elections is a way of life in Mindanao, the latest survey released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) on Thursday revealed.

MAGALANG, Pampanga—This second-class town has two mayors.

This, as Romy Pecson, a businessman, assumed the mayoral post Tuesday while unseated Mayor Lyndon Cunanan, who remains in office, claimed that “business is as usual at the town hall” with him as the local chief executive.

THE National Police recovered 19 stolen vehicles in a series of operations in Mindanao, and uncovered in the process the operation of a carjacking syndicate operating in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.