(Photo courtesy of NCRPO)
MANILA – Operatives of the Northern Police District (NPD) seized counterfeit power tools worth PHP5.7 million in Navotas City, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Tuesday.
Citing the report of the NPD, NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said a search warrant operation was conducted on Monday against Credibility Logistics Co. Ltd located at Simeon De Jesus St., San Rafael Village, Navotas City.
This came after the NPD District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) received information that a certain business establishment under the name of Hong Xiao Bao, also known as “Ben Ong, Ben Ang and Haotao Hong,” owner/manager of Credibility Logistics Co., Ltd, is involved in counterfeiting power tool products.
After a series of surveillance, verification and test buy, the NPD applied for a search warrant which was granted by a Quezon City court.
Seized during the operation are 700 pieces of impact drill, 300 pieces of welding machine and 24 pieces of impact hammer drill with an estimated total market value of PHP5,537,000 while other products believed to be counterfeit were also discovered with an approximate market value of around PHP200,000.
Further verification made by the DSOU before the Business Permit and Licensing Office of Navotas and the Securities and Exchange Commission showed the company was not registered in their respective offices.
“We fully recognize the cooperation of our countrymen with your police, especially in reporting pranks or frauds like this incident. We ensure immediate action after verifying the veracity of the said report and hold accountable anyone who has violated our laws. This holiday season, as we keep our countrymen safe from fraud by people who break the law, immediately report it to the authorities so that it can be acted on immediately,” Estomo said in a statement.
In a related development, members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Northern Metro Manila Filed Unit arrested an active employee of Dragon Asia Rolling Mills Inc. after being caught stealing metal scraps on Monday afternoon in Barangay 165, Caloocan City.
CIDG director Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee said the suspect Jeffry Cañeda Lomongcon, 37, together with his three cohorts later identified as Joven Racho, Ryan Aspe, and Gady Rogelio were reported to have forcibly entered the plant and threatened the duty security guards using their firearms.
Upon the arrival of the police in the area, they saw the suspects pushing a metal trolley containing a drum full of metal or copper straps.
The suspects immediately ran away when they saw the approaching police officers.
The chase ended with the arrest of Lomongcon and the seizure of a .38-caliber revolver loaded with three rounds of ammunition, a photocopy of the security guard's official logbook, a metal hand trolley, and a metal drum containing metal/copper scraps weighing more or less 200 kilograms with an estimated value of PHP25,000.
Investigators also revealed that the suspects are inactive employees of Dragon Asia Rolling Mills Inc. who were involved in a series of alleged robbery and theft incidents in the said company that were reported in the barangay and local police station.
Lee said the suspects will be facing criminal complaints for violation of Art. 295 (robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons) of the RPC and Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Act). (PNA)
