5 hits in 6 hours
A binge of basag-kotse incidents has again put to test the capability of the members of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).
In a span of six hours, ICPO recorded five basag-kotse incidents in Jaro and Mandurriao districts yesterday.
The series of thieveries started at around 2:10 p.m. when several suspects broke the Toyota Fortuner SUV bearing plate number NZO-718.
The vehicle was parked in front of Iloilo Supermart at Brgy. Tabuc Suba, Jaro.
According to victim Jean Panaguiton, 41, resident of Blk 6, Lot 50, Landheightsville, Brgy Tagbac, Jaro, he parked her vehicle at around 2:00 p.m. to buy groceries inside the store.
When she went out a few minutes later, she discovered that the right front side of the widow was already broken.
An initial check revealed that her Samsung Digicam worth P6,000 and pouch containing her pertinent papers placed on the vehicle’s compartment were already missing.
Prior to the incident, Brgy. Tanod Charlie Sadia of Brgy Cubay, Jaro claimed to have noticed a blue Izusu Trooper with plate number GHR-257 parked at the rear of victim’s vehicle.
At around 5:00 p.m., the second wave of basag-kotse binge was recorded at Mandurriao district.
Reports claimed that four electrical engineers of the Manila-based Asia-Phil Manufacturing parked their vehicle in front of Nuat Thai at Brgy. San Rafael, Mandurriao.
“Katatapos lang naming magpa-foot massage kasi galing sa trabaho, tapos nalaman namin na basag na ang sasakyan,” one of the victims claimed.
The victims were at a loss of words on how the suspects carried their plan despite the presence of a security guard and it was still early.
They lost four laptops, a projector, and their wallets.
The series of basag-kotse incidents had a next stop at Carlos Bakeshop at Brgy. Dungon A, Jaro.
At around 6:45 p.m., Sergio Gildore, Jr., 52, of 89 L15 EON Centennial Homes, Brgy Hibao-an, Pavia, Iloilo, discovered that the right rear window of the passenger side of his Toyota Innova bearing plate number XTV-259 was already broken.
Along with the said discovery, he also learned that his black Celine bag containing two Metro Bank checkbooks, two passbooks, BPI Master Card, ledger of checks, several Invoices and other pertinent papers, and cash amounting to P10,000 were missing.
Again, a witness claimed to have seen a blue Isuzu Trooper with plate number GRH 257 parked at the back of the Toyota Innova.
The witness added that five passengers disembarked and left the area in haste.
Almost an hour later, another basag-kotse incident happened across Balay Manokan Chicken Sari-Sari located at Commission Civil St., Brgy Fatima Jaro.
Reports said that James Jurilla, 32, of Block 22, Brgy. NHA Mandurriao discovered that the front right window shield of his Toyota Avanza with plate number ZRW 292 vehicle was broken.
As expected, he lost his belongings inside the car like his wallet with credit card, several ATM cards, and cash amounting to P4,500; and universal laptop charger worth P10,000, identification cards and other important documents.
Jurilla claimed that he is somewhat lucky to have brought with him his laptop when he dined inside the restaurant.
Coca-Cola employees, who also took their dinner at the same restaurant, found Jurilla’s bag and another sports bag at the back of their service vehicle.
It was then that police knew that another basag-kotse incident took place before that of Jurilla.
The Adidas sports bag containing a passbook, USB card reader, flash drive, charger, set of keys, and other pertinent papers and documents are owned by Konrad Benjamin Ciongson, 45, of Brgy Sto. Domingo, Jaro.
Ciongson’s Nissan X-Trail was also victimized at Mandurriao district. He lost some P90,000 worth of jewelries.
In several incidents, police noted that what was common was the presence of the blue Isuzu Trooper with plate number GHR-257.
To note, the same vehicle was also positively identified in the very recent basag-kotse incidents two weeks ago.
In a span of less than an hour, they conducted two operations but they failed to accomplish the last one.
Initially, police thought that the suspects belonged to the group of Cezar Parreño alias “Kabayo.”
Parreño, who is now incarcerated for a murder charge, was also linked to basag-kotse operations.
