Concepcion, Tarlac – – Is he a motornapper-turned-addict, or an addict-turned motornapper?
This was the question asked when policemen here apprehended the fleeing Rommel Datu who took away atricycle parked at St Jude Village, Barangay Alfonso yesterday morning.
Datu, 22, was later found positive of methamphetamine hydrochloride and yielded a sachet of shabu.
PSupt Luis Ventura Jr identified the owner of the carnapped motorcycle as Gomer Lingad, 44, of Barangay Alfonso who reported that his tricycle was carnapped while parked with its motor running in front of their house.
The fleeing Datu, who is from Barangay Jefmin, was intercepted by a police mobile car a few kilometers from where he took the Motorstar tricycle (plate number CC26996).
In his report to Tarlac Police Provincial Director PSSupt Ritchie Medardo Posadas, Ventura said, “the carnap victim (Lingad)was in a hurry to get some receipts from their house and left his motorcycle in front of their gatewith its engine running. But a few minutes later, he saw the suspect Datu drove the tricycle away. Lingad’squick reporting of the incident enabled us to block the fleeing carnapper”.
Sought for comment, Posadas said, “theswift response of Ventura’s team is laudable, it is the efficiency and rapid response (to reported crimes) that makes a police force effective”.
Ventura made the news recently when he was able to entrap 2 barangay kagawads who were separately arrested selling shabu.
For his part, Mayor Andy Lacson said, “the recovery of the stolen tricycle is commendable. We now feel safer with a competent police under Col. Ventura”.
Ventura belongs to PNPA batch 2003 and is the former Provincial Officer (PO) of the Tarlac Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Lingad is included in this town’s Watchlist of Drug Personalities and when he was accosted, a sachet of shabu was found in his pocket./Nelson Bolos