MANILA, Philippines--The Department of Justice has created a task force of 41 prosecutors to look into the complaints of typhoon victims whose insurance claims for their damaged property and motor vehicles were not being honored by their insurers.

Citing figures from the Insurance Commission, Acting Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said insurance claims for damaged property as a result of Tropical Depression ?Ondoy? had ballooned to P11 billion while claims for damaged motor vehicles had reached P1 billion.

?That?s just for (damage caused by) Ondoy,? Devanadera said. After Ondoy the country was struck by Typhoon ?Pepeng.?

?We will look for unreasonable delays in the release of property and vehicular insurance payments to those affected by the recent typhoons,? Devanadera said in a news conference.

Devanadera said claimants facing unreasonable delays in receiving their benefits should first go to the Insurance Commission.

The DOJ prosecutors would then accept their complaints based on violations of the Insurance Code.

Meanwhile, car owners who declare their flood-damaged vehicles as ?lost? or ?carnapped? in order to claim insurance are criminally liable for fraud, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday.

NCRPO Director Roberto Rosales said he received reports of a rise in the number of stolen vehicles in Metro Manila but these turned out to be bogus claims made by those wanting to cash in on the comprehensive coverage part of their car insurance policies. With Allison W. Lopez