The Makati City traffic enforcement trainee tagged one of the suspects in the motorcycle theft at the parking space of Ayala Mall Circuit on Nov. 2 surrendered to Mayor Abigail Binay on Wednesday.
Noel Natividad Jr., a 23-year old trainee of the Makati Public Safety Department (formerly MAPSA auxiliary corps), surrendered to Mayor Binay four days after his accomplices Apollo Bartolome was arrested by the Makati City police.
Binay said she was glad that Natividad has come forward to face the charges and submitted himself to due process.
The mayor said it was unfortunate the incident, which was shown on national television, was disheartening to hundreds of his fellow trainees who have been undergoing very rigorous training.
Binay also said she hoped it will serve as a lesson and remind them that the city government does not tolerate illegal activities, especially among those who are supposed to enforce the law.
Natividad was identified by Apollo Bartolome, an employee of an establishment inside the mall, as his alleged cohort.
Natividad was caught on closed-circuit television camera video footage walking with him to the parking area, and then driving out on board the stolen motorcycle last Saturday.
Makati City police commander Rogelio Simon and PSD officer-in-charge Enrico Bautista accompanied Natividad when he surrendered to Mayor Binay.
Simon said Natividad was being taken into police custody for processing and for obtaining his statement.
Meanwhile, Mayor Binay said the incident highlighted the need to deploy more auxiliary troops to increase visibility and deter criminal elements.
She said City Hall will be coordinating with the management of Circuit and other malls for additional security measures.
Prior to Natividad’s surrender, Engelbert Esmaquilan and his father Edmundo sought police assistance on Nov. 3 regarding his stolen motorcycle parked at Ayala Mall Circuit mall located along A.P. Reyes Avenue in Barangay Carmona.
In his complaint, Engelbert claimed that at around 9 pm of Nov. 2, he discovered that his black Honda Click motorcycle with plate number NG 13421 was stolen while parked unattended at the parking space of the mall.
Simon immediately formed a team from his Anti-Carnapping Section to conduct investigation and follow-up operation resulted in the arrest of Bartolome, a 24-year old rider delivery boy of OPPA Chicken Korean Restaurant located at the ground floor of the establishment.