The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered a comprehensive accounting of all seized vehicles in its custody alongside a formal investigation into allegations that certain police officers have been using recovered stolen vehicles for personal errands.
PNP Chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. directed the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) to verify the status of all impounded automobiles and probe any unauthorized use. The directive follows concerns raised by Senator Raffy Tulfo during a Senate hearing.
During a Senate Committee on Public Services session, Tulfo confronted the PNP-HPG regarding reports that recovered stolen vehicles parked at Camp Crame were being used by personnel for private tasks. He also claimed that while some carnapped vehicles remained impounded for extended periods, their release paperwork was fast-tracked within a day once complaints reached his office.
HPG Acting Director Police Brig. Gen. Joyce Patrick Sangalang asserted that personnel are strictly barred from operating impounded vehicles without authorization.
Nevertheless, Tulfo maintained that certain officers were bypassing command knowledge to use the cars, giving the HPG a one-week deadline to submit a complete inventory.
Nartatez emphasized that police property must be managed with complete transparency:
“Recovered and impounded vehicles are not personal property of any police officer. They are under police custody for a specific legal purpose and must be handled with strict accountability,” Nartatez said in a statement.
He added that any officers caught violating regulations would face severe penalties:
“No one is above our policies, and no position or assignment gives any personnel the privilege to misuse property entrusted to the PNP. We must protect the integrity of evidence, uphold the law, and earn the public’s trust through discipline and transparency,” Nartatez stated, warning that violators will face administrative and criminal charges.
Concluding his remarks, the PNP chief reiterated the organization’s commitment to internal discipline:
“We will account for every seized vehicle under our custody and ensure that each one is handled in accordance with the law. These vehicles must be safeguarded until they can be returned to their rightful owners or lawfully used as evidence,” he noted.
“Any personnel found abusing their authority will be held accountable under the law. Public trust depends on our ability to enforce the rules fairly, including within our own ranks,” he concluded.