Owners of 2 SUVs linked to P9.68-B Batangas drug haul identified

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has already identified the owners of the two sports utility vehicles found abandoned in San Luis, Pampanga on Sunday, which are possibly connected to the P9.68-billion shabu haul in Batangas on April 15.

However, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo declined to provide the specific identifications of the persons of interest (POIs) to avoid jeopardizing ongoing investigations and case buildup.

Fajardo said the black Toyota Land Cruiser and a white Ford Explorer recovered by the PNP's Highway Patrol Group (HPG) in San Luis, Pampanga on April 21 were seen in closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage together with the van carrying the contraband that was flagged down in a checkpoint in Alitagtag town.

"Base sa investigation ng HPG-Calabarzon ay nag-match yung mga nakuhang dokumento sa loob ng sasakyan at based sa ating verification sa LTO (Land Transportation Office) ay lumalabas na ito pong Land Cruiser na black ay pagmamay-ari, nakapangalan sa isa sa mga persons of interest natin (Based on the investigation of HPG-Calabarzon and verification with the LTO, the name in the documents found in the Land Cruiser matched that of one of our POIs)," Fajardo told reporters in a press conference in Camp Crame on Friday.

"What I can share with you, ang nakapangalan at nakabili doon sa dokumento ng sasakyan is the same POI na nagrenta nung bahay sa (the name in the purchase document of the vehicle is the same POI who rented the house in) Nasugbu, Batangas."

She said the same thing goes with the Ford Explorer, as the vehicle was bought by the other POI.

Fajardo noted, however, that tests showed no traces of illegal drugs in the two vehicles, while a micro-etching procedure is still being conducted for the possible recovery of the DNA of those who left the vehicles.

Meanwhile, she said that based on their coordination with the Bureau of Immigration, all possible POIs are still in the country.

She said investigators are looking for other vehicles and houses linked to the drug haul, which resulted in the arrest of Alajon Michael Zarate, the driver of the van (with plate number CBM 5060) that carried the shabu shipment. (PNA)