Stolen cars found being mortgaged at Parañaque casino

MANILA, Philippines—Victim of a carjacking? Try looking in the casino.

Two stolen vehicles have mysteriously turned up on the parking lot of a casino in Parañaque City apparently for use in gambling transactions, the Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG) said Saturday.

The HPG reported that the vehicles with questionable license plates and registration papers were being “illegally transacted for mortgage” in an unspecified gambling house in Sucat.

At 5:30 p.m. on July 21, the HPG got a tip about a Toyota Camry (plate number ZLT-698) being offered for mortgage at the casino, according to a report by Senior Superintendent Felixberto Castillo of the HPG National Capital Region.

Upon verification, the car was discovered to be sporting a fake plate. The possessor was identified as Marcial Gantong of Bunsuran III Pandi, Bulacan, who, when requested, presented a receipt containing “glaring inconsistencies in the entries.”

The probe further revealed that the vehicle was in the database of stolen vehicles. Records showed the Camry was stolen while parked unattended at the basement parking area of Skyway Twin Towers, Oranbo, Pasig City on April 25, 2010, as reported by owner Esseline Raisa Sy Ong.

In the same casino, the HPG operatives said they spotted a red Mitsubishi Lancer (plate number ZJW-384), which had no updated validating sticker from the Land Transportation Office, Castillo said.

The possessor was identified as Emmanuel Dabaso of Balagtas, Bulacan, who presented receipts allegedly issued by LTO San Juan and which also contained highly questionable entries.

Verification revealed the alleged registered owner and the address appearing in the documents were fictitious. The identity of the real owner was still being determined, Castillo said.

Separate cases for falsification of public documents and violations of the anti-carjacking and anti-fencing laws were being readied against Gantong and Dabaso.