Driving dudes! Be safe!
Spread the word. It's not safe anymore. I'm seriously scared.
Published on Page A21 of the September 10, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY INCIDENTS of carjackings in Quezon City recently, and yet these have not been reported in the news.
Neither have the Quezon City police and the Traffic Management Group (TMG) done anything about it.
It seems the local police and TMG's "Task Force Limbas" are sleeping on their job.
Carjacking is the forcible taking of a car from its driver by armed men who stop the car on a deserted road during the late hours.
It is different from "carnapping" or car theft in that in the latter, the vehicle is either parked or without a driver.
The carjackings take place at the Quezon Avenue underpass, crossing EDSA (at least three incidents); Quezon Ave. near Banawe (at least two incidents); dark streets in the areas around Morato and West Triangle; some parts of EDSA and Commonwealth or Don Mariano Marcos Avenue.
Other favorite hunting grounds of carjackers are the flyover from Libis going to Katipunan, and the underpass tunnel connected to the lyover.
Many carjackings have taken place in other parts of Metro Manila, especially Pasig, but it seems Quezon City is the epicenter of these incidents.
Carjackings take place between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., when there are few vehicles on the road, but some incidents are known to have occurred even earlier.
The victims: A priest, some businessmen, a money changer, a couple with a daughter (whose father was roughed up in front of mother and daughter), and another couple.
Usually, late model cars are the targets even if they are not so expensive.
But high-end or luxury cars seem to be the favorite of carjackers, like BMW, Accord and Prado.
Here is an article from abs-cbnnews.com today.
Armed carjackers take Pajero in QC
Armed men took a Pajero belonging to a Pasig City resident in Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City, late Monday night. The incident took place hours after ABS-CBN's "TV Patrol" reported that carjackers have resorted shooting their victims if the car owner refuses to part with his vehicle.
Police Officer 3 Erick Torres of the Quezon City Police District anti-carjacking unit identified the victim as Joel Vismonte of AIC Gold Tower Condominium in Pasig.
Torres said Vismonte was driving his white Mitsubishi Pajero (XKL 291) near the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and Pitimini Street when four armed men blocked his path.
The victim told policemen that the carjackers forced him out of the vehicle and took off with the Pajero. Vismonet said the carjackers were armed with M-16 rifles.
The incident Monday night was the latest in a string of carjacking cases in the city.
Carjacking-prone areas
Police have identified the areas of Timog Avenue, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon Avenue and Congressional Avenue as among carjacking-prone areas in Quezon City.
Authorities said that carjackers used to prey on parked vehicles, using picklocks and other improvised tools.
But lately, car thieves have become more daring, using guns in their operation. They are also no longer hesitant in using the weapon if the owner resists in giving up his vehicle.
This month alone, 17 vehicles have been carjacked, most of which were taken forcibly.
Dr. Roberto Pascual was in his parked vehicle at a gas station along Congressonal Avenue when two armed men demanded that he alight from his vehicle.
The doctor resisted and he was shot. He was critically wounded.
Justice Ruben Reyes of the Court of Appeals was on his way home in Barangay Baesa when he was also stopped by two armed men .
New Manila tops list
Earlier this month, the National Capital Region Police Office said carjacking incidents are again on the rise in Quezon City, especially in the New Manila district.
Director Vidal Querol, NCRPO chief, said that Quezon City policemen have arrested a number of suspected carjackers in other areas in the city but car theft incidents in New Manila topped the list.
Querol said that victims and other complainants have sought help from authorities following the rise of carjacking incidents recently. He said most of the complainants were victimized in the unlighted portions of New Manila where mansions of the so-called "old rich" are located.
The NCRPO chief said the gang's modus operandi is to tail a potential victim at night. Upon reaching a dark portion of the road, the carjackers, who are usually aboard a sedan, will cut in front of the victim's vehicle and order the car's occupants out.
Querol said that victims have described the carjackers as armed men wielding pistols and M-16 rifles.
Apart from taking the victim's vehicle, Querol said the carjackers take the occupants and divest them of their belongings like cellular phones, ATM cards and cash.
Querol advised the victims to immediately seek police help and whenever possible, call up the Philippine National Police hotline at 117 for assistance.
Relatedly, an e-mail received by abs-cbnNEWS.com described 10 areas in Metro Manila as among the most dangerous in terms of carjacking incidents. Four of the thoroughfares mentioned are in Quezon City.
The areas tagged as the most dangerous for motorists are: (in Quezon City) Commonwealth Avenue, Katipunan Avenue, Gilmore Avenue/Hemady Street, Araneta Avenue; Marcos Highway (Pasig/Antipolo/Marikina); C-5 (Makati); MacArthur Highway (Valenzuela); Quirino Avenue, J.P. Rizal/Taft (Manila); and C-3 (Malabon).
Published on Page A21 of the September 10, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY INCIDENTS of carjackings in Quezon City recently, and yet these have not been reported in the news.
Neither have the Quezon City police and the Traffic Management Group (TMG) done anything about it.
It seems the local police and TMG's "Task Force Limbas" are sleeping on their job.
Carjacking is the forcible taking of a car from its driver by armed men who stop the car on a deserted road during the late hours.
It is different from "carnapping" or car theft in that in the latter, the vehicle is either parked or without a driver.
The carjackings take place at the Quezon Avenue underpass, crossing EDSA (at least three incidents); Quezon Ave. near Banawe (at least two incidents); dark streets in the areas around Morato and West Triangle; some parts of EDSA and Commonwealth or Don Mariano Marcos Avenue.
Other favorite hunting grounds of carjackers are the flyover from Libis going to Katipunan, and the underpass tunnel connected to the lyover.
Many carjackings have taken place in other parts of Metro Manila, especially Pasig, but it seems Quezon City is the epicenter of these incidents.
Carjackings take place between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., when there are few vehicles on the road, but some incidents are known to have occurred even earlier.
The victims: A priest, some businessmen, a money changer, a couple with a daughter (whose father was roughed up in front of mother and daughter), and another couple.
Usually, late model cars are the targets even if they are not so expensive.
But high-end or luxury cars seem to be the favorite of carjackers, like BMW, Accord and Prado.
Here is an article from abs-cbnnews.com today.
Armed carjackers take Pajero in QC
Armed men took a Pajero belonging to a Pasig City resident in Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City, late Monday night. The incident took place hours after ABS-CBN's "TV Patrol" reported that carjackers have resorted shooting their victims if the car owner refuses to part with his vehicle.
Police Officer 3 Erick Torres of the Quezon City Police District anti-carjacking unit identified the victim as Joel Vismonte of AIC Gold Tower Condominium in Pasig.
Torres said Vismonte was driving his white Mitsubishi Pajero (XKL 291) near the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and Pitimini Street when four armed men blocked his path.
The victim told policemen that the carjackers forced him out of the vehicle and took off with the Pajero. Vismonet said the carjackers were armed with M-16 rifles.
The incident Monday night was the latest in a string of carjacking cases in the city.
Carjacking-prone areas
Police have identified the areas of Timog Avenue, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon Avenue and Congressional Avenue as among carjacking-prone areas in Quezon City.
Authorities said that carjackers used to prey on parked vehicles, using picklocks and other improvised tools.
But lately, car thieves have become more daring, using guns in their operation. They are also no longer hesitant in using the weapon if the owner resists in giving up his vehicle.
This month alone, 17 vehicles have been carjacked, most of which were taken forcibly.
Dr. Roberto Pascual was in his parked vehicle at a gas station along Congressonal Avenue when two armed men demanded that he alight from his vehicle.
The doctor resisted and he was shot. He was critically wounded.
Justice Ruben Reyes of the Court of Appeals was on his way home in Barangay Baesa when he was also stopped by two armed men .
New Manila tops list
Earlier this month, the National Capital Region Police Office said carjacking incidents are again on the rise in Quezon City, especially in the New Manila district.
Director Vidal Querol, NCRPO chief, said that Quezon City policemen have arrested a number of suspected carjackers in other areas in the city but car theft incidents in New Manila topped the list.
Querol said that victims and other complainants have sought help from authorities following the rise of carjacking incidents recently. He said most of the complainants were victimized in the unlighted portions of New Manila where mansions of the so-called "old rich" are located.
The NCRPO chief said the gang's modus operandi is to tail a potential victim at night. Upon reaching a dark portion of the road, the carjackers, who are usually aboard a sedan, will cut in front of the victim's vehicle and order the car's occupants out.
Querol said that victims have described the carjackers as armed men wielding pistols and M-16 rifles.
Apart from taking the victim's vehicle, Querol said the carjackers take the occupants and divest them of their belongings like cellular phones, ATM cards and cash.
Querol advised the victims to immediately seek police help and whenever possible, call up the Philippine National Police hotline at 117 for assistance.
Relatedly, an e-mail received by abs-cbnNEWS.com described 10 areas in Metro Manila as among the most dangerous in terms of carjacking incidents. Four of the thoroughfares mentioned are in Quezon City.
The areas tagged as the most dangerous for motorists are: (in Quezon City) Commonwealth Avenue, Katipunan Avenue, Gilmore Avenue/Hemady Street, Araneta Avenue; Marcos Highway (Pasig/Antipolo/Marikina); C-5 (Makati); MacArthur Highway (Valenzuela); Quirino Avenue, J.P. Rizal/Taft (Manila); and C-3 (Malabon).