ANGELES CITY - Unidentified men believed to be members of the notorious "Bukas-Kotse" Gang looted the car of former Department of Justice Secretary Hernando Perez while parked in front of the Court Yard Hotel in Barangay Balibago here over the weekend.
Senior Supt. Danilo Bautista, acting director of the Angeles City Police Office, said he dispatched his men to track down the suspects, following reports that some of them have previous cases in the City of San Fernando.
He said his men are hot on the trail of a group of robbers believed responsible in the said "Bukas-Kotse" incident, but declined to give names so as not to jeopardize the follow-up operations.
"Meron na kaming tinutumbok na grupo, pero we want to be sure kaya maingat natin silang sinusubaybayan," Bautista stressed, adding that all of the suspects are from Metro Manila and have shifted their operations in Angeles City and Pampanga areas.
Senior Insp. Alfredo Quiambao Jr., who led a team of responding cops, saw that an Isuzu Altera (ZKZ-607), registered under the name of Perez, had broken windows, while the owner’s belongings were in disarray.
Marine TSgt. Severino Tuiza, 41, a member of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and security aide of Perez, told police investigators that he left the SUV at the parking lot of the hotel and attended to the needs of the former secretary.
When he returned to the car, Tuiza said he was surprised when he saw the glass window of the vehicle shattered and some important things missing, including his personal belongings including two pieces of AFPSLAI passbooks, Land Bank ATM Card, AFPSLAI ID, black bag containing clothes, documents and gun ban exemption, class records and test papers of law students.
Follow-up operations led to the recovery of some of the documents owned by Tuiza, a native of Tanauan, Batangas. The documents were left at the parking lot of the Savers Mall in Barangay Balibago.
Another similar incident also happened at the Court Yard Hotel, when members of the "Bukas-Kotse" syndicate looted the contents of a Toyota Hilux Pick-up truck (RFK-241) registered under the name of Angelo Flores, 38, of San Sebastian, Tarlac City.
Flores, a businessman, had a dinner meeting with Perez at the said hotel when the incident took place, according to a police report obtained by Central Luzon Daily.
Looted from Flores’ vehicle include an Ipod worth P10,000, assorted law books and wireless broadband "thumb" drive.
Bautista said he ordered his men to double police visibility in areas where lawless elements frequent.