Attempted Carnapping & Abduction of My First Cousin

My first cousin Steph asked me to disseminate this online so that others might know and safeguard themselves from this modus operandi. The criminals involved had disguised themselves as police (hopefully, it was indeed just a disguise); even their van had police markings. They were armed with an armalite.

The crime was attempted just meters away from her house inside their village in Sucat, Muntinlupa. [Erratum: I first wrote "Parañaque" because from my understanding, their village straddles the boundary between the two cities. My mistake and not my cousin's. My apologies.] By God's grace, she survived the ordeal.

Please pass on and spread the word; maybe members of the media can check on this, too. Understandably, my cousin was traumatized by the event and I admire her for gathering her wits together to share her ordeal with the public.

This is her narration:

ATTEMPTED CARNAPPING AND ABDUCTION

 

I know that this article might be too long to read but I am requesting that you please just give time to read everything meticulously.  This will help you a lot to be more aware of your surroundings when driving.  This is about the attempted carnapping incident that I experienced last night, Oct 5. 

 

Modus Operandi.

At about 10pm last night I made a turn towards our main avenue in a village just by the East service road in Sucat.  I noticed a car was behind me but didn’t think much of it as we were already approaching the entrance to our village.  Just right after we passed by the guard house, this particular car zoomed right pass by me to overtake.  I thought perhaps it was just a homeowner hurrying to get home after a long and tiring day. 

 

My house is situated along the main avenue, and sad to say, the street does not have enough security and lighting as this is along the perimeter of our village.  Our village guards are stationed only at the entrance and within the village.  Just when I was 2 houses away from my gate, the car, now in front of me, hurriedly parked on the other side of the street.  The passenger door suddenly opened and this policeman “1” got out and walked directly to the side of the road I was driving at.  At this point, my speed was at a minimum because I had just passed a hump on the road.  I had to stop the car because he was blocking my way and the first thing that came to my mind was that if I go ahead and ignore him, he might actually fire at me seeing that he was a cop.  Upon stopping the car, he asked me to open the window on my side.  I did so but with little space, just enough to hear whatever he has to say.  He demanded that I give him my car registration at once.  I asked him right away what this was about and his only answer to me was “Naka-flag kasi etong kotse mo”.  I was puzzled by his answer but gave him anyway my car registration thinking that if I just present to him whatever he wants, we can end this as quickly as possible since I know I didn’t commit any violations.  Upon presenting him my car registration, he quickly passed it on to Policeman “2” who suddenly appeared behind him at that point.  This policeman 2 then ordered me to open my hood.  Irritated now, I asked them again what this was about, but still I got the same answer – “Naka-flag kasi ang kotse mo”.  I opened my hood and policeman 2 went to the front of the car to “check” whatever it was he wanted to check. 

 

As policeman 2 was checking my hood, I got surprised when policeman 1 knocked on the passenger side window, which was to my right, and asked if he can have a look at my driver’s license.  Why will he bother crossing to the other side of the car when he could’ve just asked it from me by my side?  I opened my passenger window again with just about 3inches of space.  I then told him that my house was just beyond the curve, about 10 meters away from where we were, and requested if we can hold the “inspection” there where I can feel safer since I can ask someone from the house to accompany me.  To this I didn’t get any reply.  When I finally handed him my license, policeman 2 came back to my side from the front of the car, purposely to distract me.  I even requested for the 2^nd time to policeman 1, angrier this time, if we can proceed to the front of my house and just continue the inspection there.  Suddenly, definitely God’s miracle, I turned towards my right to look back at policeman 2 just in time to see his whole arm inside my car, squeezed in between the tiny open space, trying to open the door lock!  Luckily, I have a window visor which makes it extra hard for him to move his arm inside.  When I saw this, I immediately pulled up the window switch to bring up the windows.  He even cried in pain because his whole arm got wedged in between the window in the process.  This time, my irritation quickly transformed to sheer panic because I knew then that something was definitely wrong.  BY LAW, NO POLICEMAN IS ALLOWED TO TOUCH ANYTHING INSIDE YOUR CAR.  When he got his hand out of the car, I quickly shut the passenger window.

 

It was then that I noticed policeman 2 was already pointing an Armalite gun at me by my window.  I cannot remember clearly what he said but something along the lines of “Buksan/Ibigay/Tumigil ka kundi puputukan kita”.  I knew then that if I let fear and panic overcome me, I will be in serious danger.  I had to be strong and take control.  I started honking my horn as loud as I can and as long as I can to attract attention.  I had to try.  My sister who was in our house that time even mentioned after the incident that she already recognized my horn, but was puzzled because it sounded as if I were still far away.  This action clearly disturbed the two policemen (policeman 1 decided to join policeman 2 on my side now) and policeman 2 who was holding the Armalite gun became angrier and then held the gun to the front windshield pointing it in front of my face roughly tapping the glass with the gun. 

 

I decided then that I had to escape.  I groped for the paddle shift and hand break and just stepped on the gas.  I didn’t care anymore if the Armalite pointed at me would go off.  “Bahala na” was my attitude.  I had to free myself from these two monsters.  When I pressed on the gas pedal, I even hit one of them who started walking in front of the car, an attempt probably to prevent me from driving off.  He fell in a crouching position but quickly recovered and probably stepped back that’s why I was able to drive off.  My car hood was still up, I couldn’t see a thing but I didn’t care anymore.  Luckily, the hood fell down when I passed by another hump just a meter away from where I left off.  I just kept honking my horn all the way until I reached my house, just 10 meters from where all it happened.  I didn’t look anymore at my rearview mirror to check if they were behind me.  I was focused on our gate waiting to see when my brother’s feet will appear (good thing our gate is solid so you won’t see the inside of the house) so that I can drive my car quickly inside as soon as possible.  When I was able to do so, I shouted to my brother, “isarado mo na, isarado mo na!”  A tricycle driver who witnessed the latter part of the incident testified to the same happenings and said that the two policemen went back to their car and drove off, outside of our village to flee.  They did not chase me.  Thank God.

 

After this brief but traumatic ordeal, I realized that every single move that they did was planned and with purpose.  All the small details, when put together, make the perfect crime plan.

 

Their actions were clearly calculated.  To emphasize, their modus operandi is:

 

1)       Carnappers disguising themselves as Policemen.  They were wearing full police outfit (blue pants, blue collared polo with police caps).  They were driving a GRAY INNOVA with a “PULIS” sign on the side door.

2)       Carnappers demanding that you show them your car registration and open the car hood.   This was a tactic to obscure my line of vision when the hood is up so I couldn’t drive off.  This was also so that passersby will think that nothing wrong is going on, just two policemen helping fix the car. 

3)        Carnappers asking for your license or any document for that matter on the other side of the car, away from you.  This was an attempt to open the car door/lock while the other policeman was distracting me.  If the guy was able to get in the car, I was sure that they were going to bring me with them.

 

Unfortunately, these criminals weren’t apprehended and are walking free as you read this.  Probably planning on their next “target”.  That’s why I want to share this with all of you.  To warn you of the dangers lurking around us.

 

This is definitely an experience I wouldn’t wish upon anyone else.  This can happen to anyone, boy or girl.  My car was heavily tinted.  Even the front windshield was tinted.  So we are assuming that I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Nagbakasakali lang sila, doesn’t matter if I was a boy or a girl, if I was alone or not.  But by God’s grace, I was able to get out of it unharmed.

 

If you are faced with this experience, call for help right away.  Attract attention.  This is the best way to get out of this situation.  Maintain your presence of mind.  Do NOT panic, panicking will only make matters worse.  For “real” police assistance, number to call is 1711.  This is worth a try.  Rather than having your family members or friends rescue you unarmed.  Just call family or friends after you’ve called the authorities.  Also, make sure to save your village or subdivision’s guard house number so you can easily call for help when needed.

 

Please share this with the people that you care for so we may all stay away from harm’s way.  This is not a hoax.  This is real life.  Let this be a reminder that we can ONLY trust people that we know.  People disguised as the “good guys” can end up really being the evil ones.  It is so sick how people can be this evil when so much suffering is happening around.  Please please please BE SAFE at all times.

 

If you can share other experiences or precautionary measures, please do so to aid everyone on what to do in situations like this.

 

Thank you, God bless and STAY SAFE.

 

STEPH