HPG warning after wanted van recovered in Kalinga: ‘Haan kayo nga madaldala iti rush transaction, agparecord check kayo’

Buyers urged to check OR/CR, engine and chassis numbers before paying for second-hand vehicles

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — “Haan da nga madaldala iti rush transaction.” This is the warning from the Highway Patrol Group (HPG)-Kalinga to people planning to buy second-hand vehicles following the recovery of a van in Kalinga that was listed for recovery in Makati City.

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera on Friday, August 14, Police Lieutenant Renaldo D. Sicwaten, Assistant Team Leader of the Provincial Highway Patrol Team-Kalinga, urged prospective buyers to slow down and verify a vehicle and its documents before completing a transaction.

He particularly warned buyers against sellers offering vehicles at unusually low prices or pushing for quick transactions.

According to Sicwaten, some buyers may become victims because they are attracted by cheap prices and immediately agree to purchase without checking the vehicle’s records.

“Ti advice ko kadagitoy gumatgataang ti lugan, four-wheel man wenno motor, tapno maiwasan tayo ti mabiktima, nangruna kadagitoy mangiof-offer kadagitoy lugan da iti mabilisan nga proseso,” Sicwaten said.

‘Papeles to follow’? Red flag, says HPG

Sicwaten also warned buyers to be cautious when sellers say a vehicle does not have complete documents but promise that the missing papers will be provided later.

“Let’s say awan papeles na diay lugan, ‘sige alam daytoy nalaka lang, diay papeles to follow nalang.’ Usually kasjay dagijay kakabsat nga mabikbiktima. Gapo ti kalaka na, patulan da diay presyo,” he added.

He cited the recently recovered van as an example of why buyers should not be carried away by a low price or a seller’s promise of a quick transaction.

Sicwaten said information gathered from the vehicle’s current possessor indicated that the van had been acquired through a meet-up transaction before it was brought to Kalinga.

“Kasla daytoy van nga narecover mi ditoy Kalinga. Base doon sa possessor, through meet-up da nga nagtransaction,” he said.

Because of this, Sicwaten urged prospective buyers to take their time and conduct proper verification before handing over their money.

“Sunga, advice mi kadagiti gumatgatang ti luglugan haan da nga madaldala iti rush transaction. Dapat medyo maging mausisa,” he said.

HPG: Check first before you pay

Instead of immediately paying for a vehicle, Sicwaten advised buyers to visit an HPG office and request a record check.

He also advised buyers to ask the seller for photocopies of the vehicle’s Official Receipt (OR) and Certificate of Registration (CR). These documents can be used by HPG personnel to verify the vehicle’s information before the transaction is completed.

“To make it sure, mapan da laengenen kadagiti opisina ti HPG, tapno agparecord check da, agala da ti xerox copy ti OR/CR diay lugan nga ilaklako da and then anusan da ah nga agiprocess ti verification,” he said.

Sicwaten explained that the record check allows HPG personnel to compare the vehicle’s information against their records and determine whether it has an existing alarm or is linked to a police case.

“Record check nga kuna mi ti HPG. Ta magna didjay iti system mi ken magna met iti crime lab, maiproseso ti original details na, diay engine and chassis numbers,” he said.

The verification of the engine and chassis numbers can help determine whether the vehicle is properly recorded and whether it has been flagged as wanted for recovery.

“So, nu mayaten dagijay nga details na diay lugan, maiecheck met diay lugan nga haan alarmado, ay ket syempre that is good,” he added.

Wanted van recovered in Kalinga

The HPG warning followed the recovery of a 2015 Toyota Commuter Van by HPG-Kalinga, in coordination with the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (PFMC), along the Tabuk-Paracelis Road on August 7.

The van had reportedly changed hands through a meet-up transaction before being brought to Kalinga.

At the time of its recovery, it was being driven by a 41-year-old resident of Mountain Province, who voluntarily surrendered the vehicle after being informed that it was listed for recovery.

The van remains under police custody pending physical and macro-etching examination and proper disposition.

For Sicwaten, the incident is a reminder that a seemingly good deal can become a costly mistake when buyers fail to verify a vehicle before purchasing it.

His message to prospective buyers is simple: check before you pay. Verify the OR/CR, request an HPG record check, and make sure the engine and chassis numbers match the vehicle’s records.

Taking a little more time before closing a deal, he said, can help buyers avoid losing their money—and unknowingly ending up with a vehicle that may be stolen or subject to a police alarm.