"Mutating" robbery gangs are being eyed in carjacking incidents, including two recent gruesome cases, the Philippine National Police said Thursday. PNP Highway Patrol Group spokesman Senior Superintendent Edwin Butacan said that while some gangs had been neutralized in 2010, they were resurrected with new leaders. "Last year we neutralized many groups by arresting some leaders and killing others. But these groups mutate. Even if their leaders had fallen, either the leaders post bail or other members take their place and the groups become active again," Butacan said in Filipino in an interview on dzBB. Because of this, he said many major carjacking groups continue to operate despite the loss of their leaders, most of them in Metro Manila, Southern Luzon and Central Luzon.
Citing records from his office, Butacan said at least 31 carjacking incidents have occurred so far this year, with many of the incidents involving motorcycles.