POE: PROSECUTE CARNAPPERS

Sen. Grace Poe has pitched the approval of Senate Bill No. 2756 that seeks to repeal the pre-martial law anti-carnapping edict and impose stiffer penalties to better deter carnappers and protect the interest of motor vehicle owners.

Poe, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs that led the probe on the rising cases of carnapping, said Republic Act No. 6539 which was passed in 1972 seems unable to deter the occurrence of carnapping. At the time, cases of stolen vehicles only ranged from 400 to 420 annually, but this had grown to 13,340 reported cases in 2014--1,470 stolen motor vehicles and 11,870 motorcycles.

Under the bill, the penalty for carnapping is increased to at least 20 years and 1 day (minimum period of reclusion perpetua), making the offense non-bailable when the evidence of guilt is strong.

Imprisonment of not less than 30 years and not more than 40 years shall be imposed when the crime is committed by means of violence against or intimidation of persons, or force upon things, as opposed to the imprisonment of 17 years to 30 years under the law. Life imprisonment shall be imposed when the owner, driver or occupant of the carnapped motor vehicle is killed.

"We will now prepare the committee report and in three weeks, we will be able to report it to the Senate," said Poe. Representatives from the PNP-Highway Patrol Group, Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Transportation and Communications, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and other groups are united in supporting the passage of the measure seeking to impose stiffer penalties against carnapping.