37 youth offenders escaped from custodial facility in Manila At least 37 youth offenders escaped the Manila Youth Recreational Center (MYRC) custodial facility in Arroceros, Manila on Tuesday. Authorities said the minors bolted by sawing off the gate of their dormitory and by scaling the wall at the back portion of the custodial facility closest to the Pasig River at around 3 a.m. Members of the city hall security force recaptured two of the escaped offenders including one tagged for keeping a loose firearm in Barangays 228 and 221, Tondo, Manila. Police said the minors were involved in illegal drugs, illegal possession of firearms, gambling, snatching, and other crimes. Meanwhile, MYRC and the Manila Social Welfare Department refused to issue a statement regarding the said incident. (Erma Edera) Fake traffic enforcer nabbed in Manila Dressed in Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB) uniform, a man posing as a traffic enforcer was nabbed by police after he allegedly extorted money from several motorists on Tuesday night. MTPB identified the suspect as Marc Leonard Arquera and he was arrested along Lacson Avenue in Manila. According to Mark Urieta, chief of the Anti-Scalawag and Internal Affairs division of MTPB, part of Arquera’s modus operandi is that he would fabricate a violation such as swerving and beating the red light to extort money from drivers of trucks and private vehicles. “He would come up with an initial violation and make it worse then he would threaten the driver that he would impound their vehicles. He would also ask for P8,000 cash from the motorists,” Urieta said. However Arquera denied the allegations and said that he volunteered to be a traffic enforcer as part of his community service in Traffic Sector 4. “That is not true, I am just befriending the drivers,” he said. It was learned that the suspect was also caught for committing the same crime in 2016 in Tondo, Manila after a mechanic complained him for extortion. MTPB Chief Dennis Alcoreza also warned the public that they will continue to hunt fake traffic enforcers preying on motorists. The suspect will be charged for violating Article 293 or robbery through extortion. (Erma Edera) 4 alleged members of carnapping group, man caught dismantling a stolen vehicle arrested Four alleged members of a notorious carnapping group said to be responsible in series of carnapping incidents in Metro Manila, and a man caught dismantling a stolen vehicle were arrested in separate operations in Quezon City, police reported Wednesday. Quezon City Police District Director, Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel Jr. identified the arrested suspects as relatives Alex Baccay, 35, Joel Baccay, 25, Francis Baccay, 26, and Jane Baccay, 21, residents of Binangonan, Rizal and said to be members of the so-called "Baccay Carnapping Group," and Jaime Baluis, 50, of Sta. Cruz, Manila Police report showed that last Monday, a certain Avelino Sarmiento reported to the QCPD-Anti-Carnapping Group (ANCAR) that his Silver Mitsubishi Canter with plate number UJH-884 was stolen while parked in front of his house on Matapat Street in Barangay Pinyahan around 4:30 a.m. the same day. Based on statements of the witnesses, a gold Toyota Corrola bearing plate number PML-649 was noticed roaming suspiciously in the area before Sarmiento's car was stolen. Further investigation revealed that the suspects' vehicle was identified to have been used in other carnapping incidents in Quezon City and nearby cities targeting trucks and closed vans based on footages obtained from closed-circuit television and testimonies from other witnesses. With this, QCPD-ANCAR operatives were immediately dispatche to arrest the group in Binangonan, Rizal after receiving information on their hideout. At around 11 p.m., authorities spotted the suspects roaming in Barangay Calumpang on board the reported gold Toyota Corolla. While operatives tailed the suspects, the group apparently sensed the presence of the police and opened gunfire in an attempt to escape. However, the suspects were eventually cornered and arrested near the gate of a church in Binangonan, Rizal. Meanwhile, during investigation, the suspects disclosed that Sarmiento's Mitsubishi Canter was already sold to a certain Alvin Rescover nad was brought to a warehouse on Ellias Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila. This resulted to a follow-up operation that resulted in the arrest of Balusi after officers caught him dismantling a Mitsubishi Canter. Upon verification, it appears that it was the same vehicle reportedly stolen from Sarmiento. Aside from the stolen Mitsubishi Canter and the Toyota Corolla, operatives were also able to recover a dismantled motor vehicle engine and two sets of plate numbers which will be for verified by the Land Transportation Office. Arrested suspects are now under police custody and will be facing charges for violation of anti-carnapping law and anti-fencing law. (Alex San Juan)