SOURCE: INQ
MANILA, Philippines—A ranking official of the Philippine National Police is being linked to the Dominguez car theft syndicate in a confidential report by an intelligence unit based in Camp Aguinaldo.
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MANILA, Philippines—A ranking official of the Philippine National Police is being linked to the Dominguez car theft syndicate in a confidential report by an intelligence unit based in Camp Aguinaldo.
Director Roberto “Boysie” Rosales, head of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Northern Luzon, was named as the protector of the Dominguez syndicate through its purported conduit, Superintendent Napoleon Cauyan, a former head of the defunct Traffic Management Group of the PNP’s Task Force Limbas.
Part of the report, dated January 23, 2011, and leaked to this reporter by a colonel in the Armed Forces, reads: “The missing link of the Dominguez Group with police protectors is … Cauyan. Subject was dismissed for carjacking and fraudulent entry to the PNP. Subject gives his Sr. PNP bosses … luxury SUVs and payola from Dominguez. Subject was ambushed but survived. It was perpetrated by a rival carjacking group connected to casino gambling syndicates. Subject is coddled by a PNP director.”
The “coddler” is named in the second paragraph of the report, thus: “Reports point to Roberto Rosales assigned in Northern Luzon as the alleged protector of Cauyan.”
The report—which states that the contents are “for further verification of concerned officials”—has reached the office of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, according to the colonel, who said an investigation had been ordered.
In interviews with this reporter, both Rosales and Cauyan denied links with the Dominguez syndicate, the former with a chuckle and the latter with anger.
Masterminds
Brothers Raymond and Roger Dominguez have been tagged by eyewitnesses Alfred Mendiola and Ferdinand Parulan as the masterminds of the brutal murder of car dealer Venson Evangelista.
They have also been linked to the similarly brutal killings of Emerson Lozano, another car dealer, and his companion Ernane Sensil.
The brothers have denied involvement but authorities say the evidence against them is airtight. And the colonel claimed that even before the Lozano-Evangelista murders, authorities already had very strong leads pointing to the protectors of the Dominguez syndicate.
Raymond and Roger Dominguez have been slapped with at least 28 criminal cases in various courts in Bulacan and Pampanga since 2007.
Records show that the cases mostly involve car theft, the rest involve robbery, violation of the election gun ban, and illegal drugs. One of the car theft cases against Raymond Dominguez comes with a homicide charge.
Not surprised
In 2010, Cauyan was driving his pickup truck when two men in black jackets riding tandem on a red motorcycle opened fire at him near the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Quezon City.
He was hit in both arms and on the left side of the body and chest. His attackers were able to flee.
When reached for comment on the confidential report, Cauyan said he was “not surprised” because he had been told by his “own sources in Camp Crame” that “after linking me to the Dominguez carjacking syndicate, they will link Boysie as well.”
“That is totally untrue and irresponsible,” he said of the references to him in the report. “But knowing the people behind all these accusations, I know they are capable of turning lies into truths just to protect themselves.”
He said that he was challenging his accusers “to bring out the so-called goods on me,” and that he was ready to testify at any inquiry, “the Senate, preferably, so that once and for all, the real corruption and protection ring of the Dominguez carjacking syndicate will be exposed.”
“I am ready to tell all … and I mean all!” he said.
Cauyan said he was shocked when, days after the discovery of the charred remains of Lozano and Evangelista, his name surfaced as the protector of the Dominguez brothers.
He said that on the instruction of Chief Superintendent Manuel Barcena, head of the Intelligence Group (IG) in Camp Crame, an officer showed up at his house in Mariveles, Bataan, to seek his analysis of the murders.
He named the officer as Senior Superintendent Rafael Mendoza of IG-Central Luzon.
Results needed
Cauyan said he was told that his opinion was being sought to help solve the crimes because of his extensive experience in going after car thieves.
“They said they needed to talk to me because Malacañang was bothered by the killings of Evangelista and Lozano, and they needed to produce results. I welcomed them. They were pulling my leg, they said they needed my help, so I gave them my analysis,” he said.
Days after Mendoza’s visit, Cauyan’s name surfaced in some newspapers and tabloids as the protector of the Dominguez brothers.
“I gave my analysis and then I’m the protector. Isn’t that betrayal, nonsense?” Cauyan said.
“They’re making me a police character. The truth is, if I were able to capture the Dominguezes—and I know how notorious these brothers are—do they think I’d let the brothers live? They know me enough,” he said.
Cauyan said he worked directly with Rosales only in late 2009, when he was already on “floating” status at the PNP Holding Center.
He said Rosales was alarmed by the number of car thefts in Manila and sought his help because of his many accomplishments in the past as head of Task Force Limbas.
‘Check my record’
Reached by phone, Rosales took the information that he was being linked to the Dominguez syndicate calmly and with a chuckle.
“My record, especially as head of NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) and MPD (Manila Police District), will bear me out and will point to the fact that, modesty aside, [my term] was perhaps the only period when carnapping almost became zero in Metro Manila,” said Rosales, whose office is based in Camp Crame.
“I was the only one who raided the LTO office, where we recovered documents and genuine [receipts] used by carjacking syndicates. I was the one who installed CCTVs and GPS to track and prevent carjackings in Metro Manila. I have no fear of whatever they say against me for I know what I did as an officer,” he said.
Rosales said Cauyan had been “of real help” to him in operations against car thieves.
He said Cauyan knew “a lot about big cases,” and provided “A1” information.
“In fact, he’s pitiful. So many accusations have been hurled at him when he’s the one who delivered real results. It’s unfair,” Rosales said.
As for himself, Rosales said, he was willing to face any inquiry into the matter.
Asked why he was being linked to Cauyan and the alleged protectors of the Dominguez brothers, he said: “I believe some quarters with an eye on higher positions in the PNP still see me as a threat. Perhaps some still see me as a contender for PNP chief.”
Rosales, a 1978 graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, is due to retire in July 2012.
Bigger picture
The confidential report linking Rosales to the Dominguez syndicate was issued in relation to regular reports on supposed destabilization efforts against the Aquino administration.
“We see a bigger picture here, and that is the reason we submitted the report to the office of the [interior secretary], for them to act on it and verify the information on the ground,” said the officer who leaked the report.
“We believe this is more than just a case of involvement in a carjacking syndicate,” he said.
Rosales himself was quick to say that he was next expecting to be accused of involvement in destabilization efforts.
“My only crime is that I was close to the former president (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), and I make no qualms about that. … I am loyal to any commander in chief and it happened that she was mine, and she opened a direct line to me because of the many preventive measures we implemented then against criminality,” Rosales said, adding:
“It was a rare opportunity for any police officer, and to some people, that was a crime. But I never did anything illegal or committed corruption as an officer. My motto has always been to leave a unit as the best unit … and clearly, to some, even in my [current] position, I am still a threat.”
To tell all
Cauyan said that his reputation had been tarnished and that all he wanted to do now was to tell all.
“Wait until I testify at an inquiry by the Senate. I will name all the thieves and coddlers of syndicates in Camp Crame!” he said.
Part of the report, dated January 23, 2011, and leaked to this reporter by a colonel in the Armed Forces, reads: “The missing link of the Dominguez Group with police protectors is … Cauyan. Subject was dismissed for carjacking and fraudulent entry to the PNP. Subject gives his Sr. PNP bosses … luxury SUVs and payola from Dominguez. Subject was ambushed but survived. It was perpetrated by a rival carjacking group connected to casino gambling syndicates. Subject is coddled by a PNP director.”
The “coddler” is named in the second paragraph of the report, thus: “Reports point to Roberto Rosales assigned in Northern Luzon as the alleged protector of Cauyan.”
The report—which states that the contents are “for further verification of concerned officials”—has reached the office of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, according to the colonel, who said an investigation had been ordered.
In interviews with this reporter, both Rosales and Cauyan denied links with the Dominguez syndicate, the former with a chuckle and the latter with anger.
Masterminds
Brothers Raymond and Roger Dominguez have been tagged by eyewitnesses Alfred Mendiola and Ferdinand Parulan as the masterminds of the brutal murder of car dealer Venson Evangelista.
They have also been linked to the similarly brutal killings of Emerson Lozano, another car dealer, and his companion Ernane Sensil.
The brothers have denied involvement but authorities say the evidence against them is airtight. And the colonel claimed that even before the Lozano-Evangelista murders, authorities already had very strong leads pointing to the protectors of the Dominguez syndicate.
Raymond and Roger Dominguez have been slapped with at least 28 criminal cases in various courts in Bulacan and Pampanga since 2007.
Records show that the cases mostly involve car theft, the rest involve robbery, violation of the election gun ban, and illegal drugs. One of the car theft cases against Raymond Dominguez comes with a homicide charge.
Not surprised
In 2010, Cauyan was driving his pickup truck when two men in black jackets riding tandem on a red motorcycle opened fire at him near the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Quezon City.
He was hit in both arms and on the left side of the body and chest. His attackers were able to flee.
When reached for comment on the confidential report, Cauyan said he was “not surprised” because he had been told by his “own sources in Camp Crame” that “after linking me to the Dominguez carjacking syndicate, they will link Boysie as well.”
“That is totally untrue and irresponsible,” he said of the references to him in the report. “But knowing the people behind all these accusations, I know they are capable of turning lies into truths just to protect themselves.”
He said that he was challenging his accusers “to bring out the so-called goods on me,” and that he was ready to testify at any inquiry, “the Senate, preferably, so that once and for all, the real corruption and protection ring of the Dominguez carjacking syndicate will be exposed.”
“I am ready to tell all … and I mean all!” he said.
Cauyan said he was shocked when, days after the discovery of the charred remains of Lozano and Evangelista, his name surfaced as the protector of the Dominguez brothers.
He said that on the instruction of Chief Superintendent Manuel Barcena, head of the Intelligence Group (IG) in Camp Crame, an officer showed up at his house in Mariveles, Bataan, to seek his analysis of the murders.
He named the officer as Senior Superintendent Rafael Mendoza of IG-Central Luzon.
Results needed
Cauyan said he was told that his opinion was being sought to help solve the crimes because of his extensive experience in going after car thieves.
“They said they needed to talk to me because Malacañang was bothered by the killings of Evangelista and Lozano, and they needed to produce results. I welcomed them. They were pulling my leg, they said they needed my help, so I gave them my analysis,” he said.
Days after Mendoza’s visit, Cauyan’s name surfaced in some newspapers and tabloids as the protector of the Dominguez brothers.
“I gave my analysis and then I’m the protector. Isn’t that betrayal, nonsense?” Cauyan said.
“They’re making me a police character. The truth is, if I were able to capture the Dominguezes—and I know how notorious these brothers are—do they think I’d let the brothers live? They know me enough,” he said.
Cauyan said he worked directly with Rosales only in late 2009, when he was already on “floating” status at the PNP Holding Center.
He said Rosales was alarmed by the number of car thefts in Manila and sought his help because of his many accomplishments in the past as head of Task Force Limbas.
‘Check my record’
Reached by phone, Rosales took the information that he was being linked to the Dominguez syndicate calmly and with a chuckle.
“My record, especially as head of NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) and MPD (Manila Police District), will bear me out and will point to the fact that, modesty aside, [my term] was perhaps the only period when carnapping almost became zero in Metro Manila,” said Rosales, whose office is based in Camp Crame.
“I was the only one who raided the LTO office, where we recovered documents and genuine [receipts] used by carjacking syndicates. I was the one who installed CCTVs and GPS to track and prevent carjackings in Metro Manila. I have no fear of whatever they say against me for I know what I did as an officer,” he said.
Rosales said Cauyan had been “of real help” to him in operations against car thieves.
He said Cauyan knew “a lot about big cases,” and provided “A1” information.
“In fact, he’s pitiful. So many accusations have been hurled at him when he’s the one who delivered real results. It’s unfair,” Rosales said.
As for himself, Rosales said, he was willing to face any inquiry into the matter.
Asked why he was being linked to Cauyan and the alleged protectors of the Dominguez brothers, he said: “I believe some quarters with an eye on higher positions in the PNP still see me as a threat. Perhaps some still see me as a contender for PNP chief.”
Rosales, a 1978 graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, is due to retire in July 2012.
Bigger picture
The confidential report linking Rosales to the Dominguez syndicate was issued in relation to regular reports on supposed destabilization efforts against the Aquino administration.
“We see a bigger picture here, and that is the reason we submitted the report to the office of the [interior secretary], for them to act on it and verify the information on the ground,” said the officer who leaked the report.
“We believe this is more than just a case of involvement in a carjacking syndicate,” he said.
Rosales himself was quick to say that he was next expecting to be accused of involvement in destabilization efforts.
“My only crime is that I was close to the former president (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), and I make no qualms about that. … I am loyal to any commander in chief and it happened that she was mine, and she opened a direct line to me because of the many preventive measures we implemented then against criminality,” Rosales said, adding:
“It was a rare opportunity for any police officer, and to some people, that was a crime. But I never did anything illegal or committed corruption as an officer. My motto has always been to leave a unit as the best unit … and clearly, to some, even in my [current] position, I am still a threat.”
To tell all
Cauyan said that his reputation had been tarnished and that all he wanted to do now was to tell all.
“Wait until I testify at an inquiry by the Senate. I will name all the thieves and coddlers of syndicates in Camp Crame!” he said.
