MANILA, Philippines – The tragic fate that befell the son of lawyer Oliver Lozano could be a new modus operandi by one criminal group following the discovery in Cabanatuan City of another burned cadaver believed to be that of a missing son of a car trader.

This alarming wave of violence has prompted Sen. Franklin Drilon to push for the passage of a measure that would regulate the carrying of firearms.

A P500,000 reward was also offered for the solution of the Lozano case.

“This is the first time that this happened, this is atypical of the carnapping cases we handled,” said Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, director of the Highway Patrol Group which is a member of the Special Investigation Task Group-Lozano.

What is peculiar of the cases of Emerson Lozano and Benson Evangelista, the son of the car trader, was that they were kidnapped and murdered after the vehicles they were selling were taken from them.

Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, commander of the Special Investigation Task Group-Lozano, said the charred body of Evangelista, which was retrieved in Barangay Buliran in Cabanatuan City last Friday, was initially confirmed by his father as that of his son based on the partially burned personal belongings recovered.

“But the father is requesting for confirmatory test by the Crime Laboratory through dental records and the likes,” said Estipona in a press briefing in Camp Crame Tuesday afternoon.

Evangelista was reported missing on January 13 after meeting a prospective buyer of a second-hand high-end vehicle in Quezon City.

Lozano’s burned cadaver was also discovered on January 14 near the FVR Megadike in Porac, Pampanga while that of his driver Ernani Sensil was found on January 13 in La Paz, Tarlac.

“The manner by which they were killed and the manner by which their bodies were disposed are the same...we are now zeroing in on some groups aligned with our theories on these two cases,” said Estipona.

Quoting initial report from the Crime Laboratory, Lozano, Sensil and the body believed to be that of Evangelista were all shot in the head and burned later using kerosene.

Another similarity, he revealed, was that the gun used in shooting all three victims appeared to be coming from a 9mm pistol.

“There are similarities on these two cases, we are currently establishing relationship between these two incidents,” said Estipona.

But Espina would not immediately conclude on the initial motive of carnapping and the possibility that the killings were perpetrated by one group.

“Maybe, or maybe not (the killings were perpetrated by one group), it could be carnapping as motive or this could be a case of murder because there seems to be so much anger as revealed by how they were brutally killed,” said Espina.

Espina said they are closely looking into the case since the modus operandi used is that the perpetrators posed as buyers of second-hand vehicles, with the meeting both set up in Quezon City.

He also revealed that there was also a similarity in the modus operandi in the sense that both perpetrators on the Lozano and Evangelista cases had asked for a test drive of the vehicles during nigh time.

The 2008 model silver KIA Carnival (QAE-333) being sold by Lozano and the green/black 2009 model Land Cruiser (NAI-316) being sold by Evangelista are still missing as of this time.

“We have already flashed a nationwide alert on the two vehicles,” said Espina.

Reward offered

During Tuesday’s briefing, someone called up Estipona over the phone and a few minutes later, he revealed that a concerned citizen offered P500,000 reward for any information that could lead to the early resolution of the Lozano case.

“He’s friend of mine, he just wanted this case to be solved in the soonest possible time so he is offering a reward,” Estipona told reporters.

He, however, would not divulge his name.

“Nevertheless, we have good leads on this case, we cannot just disclose it because there are on-going operations with regard to these leads that we are pursuing,” he added.

Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele, director of the Quezon City Police District, said they will ask Director General Raul Bacalzo, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), to merge the SITG-Lozano which Estipona heads and the SITGEvangelista which he leads.

“There are similarities in these two cases, there may be some information that we can get which are essential to the other case, that of Lozano,” said Mantele.

As far as their investigation is concerned, Mantele said they have already obtained the testimonies of some witnesses which provided the names and description of the two persons who were seen with Evangelista the night he disappeared.

He revealed that the one who posed as prospective buyer was a certain Allan Torres, a gay who was even wearing a bra, and shades during his alleged transaction with Evangelista in Quezon City. The other one posed as the car mechanic.

Car trade safety tips

Espina said the two incidents should serve as a warning to other car dealers to be careful, especially in meeting with clients whom they do not know personally.

“This is the first time that this happened, this is atypical of carnapping cases which he handled before,” said Espina, referring to the killing of Lozano, Sensil and the other victim believed to be Evangelista.

Among the safety tips offered by Espina are:

1. Get a trusted companion when meeting prospective buyers.
2. Get an authentic identification cards of the prospective buyers such as driver’s license and other IDs issued by government agencies.
3. The road test of the vehicle should be done near the car traders’ houses.
4. The road test should never be done at night, except if the buyer is a very close friend.

Meanwhile, Drilon filed Senate Bill No. 129, the Firearms Regulation Act of 2010, which mandates the carrying of firearms only to those directly engaged in military, police and other law enforcement functions.

“It is high time that Congress should pass a law that regulates the use of firearms because the growing incidence of violence in the country is very alarming,” Drilon said.

Drilon said the measure does not intend to prohibit ownership and possession of licensed firearms, but limits the circumstances under which a private individual may take his firearm outside of his residence.

Under the bill, no permit to carry firearms shall be issued to any person except members of the Armed Forces and the police, agents or officers of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Criminal Investigation Service, Narcotics Command, Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces, Sherriff ’s Offices of various courts and other law enforcement agencies and regular agents or personnel of duly-licensed private security agencies or security forces of state agencies.

Licensed individuals, however, are only allowed to carry the firearm when he is in full uniform and engaged in the actual performance of his duty. In the absence of a valid permit to carry firearms, it shall be unlawful for any person to carry the firearm, even if licensed, anywhere outside his camp, station, residence or sports facility.

However, no permit to carry shall be issued to any temporary or confidential agents or informers of the military, police or any law enforcement agency.

Likewise, no permit shall be issued to any person as a tool of any sport, game, sporting event or sports-related activity unless the applicant for the same is a regular member in good standing of a licensed and government-accredited shooting club and executes a verified undertaking to keep the firearm covered by permit only in his residence, office or sports facility.

Violators shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than six years and one day but not more than 10 years and a fine of not less than P20,000 but not more than P100,000.

The bill is now pending on first reading and has been referred to the Committees on Public Order and Illegal Drugs and National Defense and Security.