LAW enforcement officers arrested a 37-year-old truck driver tagged as a notorious carnapper operating across Metro Manila and nearby regions following a coordinated operation along East Bank Road on October 10, 2026.
The suspect, identified as alias “Roger,” a resident of Subic, Zambales, was apprehended at approximately 10:10 PM at a Shell Gas Station along East Bank Road in Barangay Santa Lucia.
The operation stemmed from a citizen’s plea for police assistance routed through the Eastern Police District (EPD) DMFB Border Control Point to the Rosario Police Sub-Station (SS7), led by PLT Romeo N. Tanguilan.
Patrollers quickly responded to the area after a complainant reported that the individual was a respondent in a pending case filed in Pampanga.
Subsequent database checks revealed that the suspect had an active warrant of arrest for murder issued by the Regional Trial Court, Third Judicial Region, Branch 72 in Olongapo City, Zambales.
The warrant, docketed under Criminal Case No. 2025-930 and dated July 31, 2025, recommended no bail.
Beyond the outstanding murder charge, follow-up coordination with the Station Anti-Carnapping Unit, the Eastern District Highway Patrol Team, and the Masantol Municipal Police Station in Pampanga uncovered that the suspect was deeply involved in a string of vehicle theft operations spanning the National Capital Region, Region 3, and Region 4.
Investigators disclosed that the suspect’s primary modus operandi involved applying for delivery or truck driving jobs to gain the trust of vehicle owners.
Once trusted with possession of the trucks, he would steal the vehicles and dispose of them online through various social media buy-and-sell groups, frequently using multiple aliases to elude law enforcement.
During the apprehension, authorities recovered an Isuzu closed van that had been previously reported stolen, alongside several driver’s licenses and vehicle license plates.
The recovered vehicle and evidence were turned over to the Highway Patrol Group for proper disposition and the preparation of additional criminal charges.
The suspect is currently detained at the Pasig City Police Station Custodial Facility while awaiting transfer and commitment to the court of origin.
Police Colonel Hendrix B. Mangaldan, Chief of Police of the Pasig City Police Station, commended the operating units for their vigilance, professionalism, and inter-agency coordination.
He emphasized the critical role of prompt reporting and unit interoperability in dismantling criminal networks and keeping communities safe.
