Police: 4 carnap gang suspects nabbed in Butuan City

Four suspected members of a carnapping group believed to be operating in parts of northern Mindanao have been arrested by local cops in Butuan City, the regional center of Caraga region, a belated police report said Saturday. The four suspects — identified as Charlie Lim, Roldan Tion, Daisy Lim and Ruby Claverol — were arrested on Thursday along Malvar Street in Barangay Dagohoy while driving an allegedly stolen Toyota Innova car, a report from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group said. Local police units were able to arrest the suspected members of the carnapping group after a woman, identified as Gina Gania, reported to the police that she bought a stolen Isuzu Crosswind from Lim, according to the report. Regional highway patrol group operatives conducted follow-up operations in Butuan City based on Gania’s report, which ultimately led to the arrest of the four suspects. Police also conducted a search of Lim’s office on Friday, which yielded assorted blank forms from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), validation stickers for vehicles and fake license plates, the police said. The suspects were to be presented for inquest proceedings on Friday for violation of Republic Act 6539 or the Anti-Carnapping Act, according to the police. PNP Highway Patrol Group Director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, for his part, said that investigators are now looking at the possibility that the vehicle recovered from the suspects was stolen from Luzon and shipped to Mindanao via the Philippine Nautical Highway.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV