Police general, cops linked to carnap group – official

Police said Friday it is investigating a high-ranking police official and several other police officers for their alleged links with a notorious carnapping syndicate that has been involved in recent carjacks and killings. In a press conference, Highway Patrol Group (HPG) director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said they are monitoring the movements of a police general who allegedly has links with the so-called Dominguez carnap group, according to a report on QTV's "News on Q". Police have earlier pointed to the brothers Roger and Raymond Dominguez as the leaders of the criminal group.
Other police officers who are allegedly in connivance with carnapping syndicates are likewise being investigated. Espina, however, declined to reveal the name of the supposed police general and the other involved police officer. "Under investigation pa sila ngayon eh [They are still being investigated]," Espina said in the newscast. He likewise said investigations will spare no one, and those found responsible, including ranking officials, will be punished accordingly. "The president would like to get to the bottom of this. Parusahan kung sinong paparusahan, ke heneral yan, ke senior superintendent, major, everybody [Punish whoever needs to be punished, whether he be a general, a senior superintendent, major, everybody]," Espina said. In the same press conference, HPG confirmed that Rolando Talban, the syndicate's assigned gunman, is the main suspect in killing car dealer Venson Evangelista and Emerson Lozano, as well as Lozano’s driver Ernani Sencil. Lozano, son of lawyer Oliver Lozano, and Sencil were last seen alive on January 12 while meeting a prospective buyer of a Kia Carnival van in Quezon City. Sencil's charred body was found the next day in Tarlac province while Lozano's was found two days later in Pampanga. Members of the carnapping syndicate were also tagged as the culprits behind the killing of Evangelista, another car dealer who was also shot in the head and whose remains were likewise burned.—Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV