09 September 2005
Provincial vehicle stolen at official’s compound
LINGAYEN – Government cars are now fair game for carnappers.
This was found out by the provincial government the hard way when an Isuzu Highlander XTRM issued to the provincial accountant of Pangasinan was stolen while parked inside his compound on Amado-Tapuac street in Dagupan City.
In hot water because of the carnapping is Provincial Accountant Rodolfo Carolino, 64, who woke up Sunday morning to find out that his provincial government-issued vehicle with Plate No9. SMI-174 was already missing.
Three cars were in Carolino’s compound the night before but for unknown reason, the carnappers chose to take the red-plated one. Provincial Administrator Virgilio Solis, Jr. on learning of the incident, called for a province-wide alert for the missing provincial government vehicle.
He said however he was not fully blaming Carolino because as one of the deparment heads of the provincial government, he (Carolino) was allowed to bring home the provincial vehicle issued for his official use.
Solis said there was a memorandum of Gov. Victor Agbayani that officials and employees are not allowed to bring government vehicles to their homes after office hours and on weekends and holidays.
Exemptions to this rule, however, are provincial department heads like Carolino, he said. But nevertheless, the department heads cannot use the vehicles for their private trips except if they are on official mission and in such a case, should be issued corresponding trip tickets.
Solis said he ordered Carolino to exert utmost efforts to retrieve the vehicle and if it can not be found anymore, the vehicle’s insurance with the Government Service Insurance System will answer for its loss.
This was found out by the provincial government the hard way when an Isuzu Highlander XTRM issued to the provincial accountant of Pangasinan was stolen while parked inside his compound on Amado-Tapuac street in Dagupan City.
In hot water because of the carnapping is Provincial Accountant Rodolfo Carolino, 64, who woke up Sunday morning to find out that his provincial government-issued vehicle with Plate No9. SMI-174 was already missing.
Three cars were in Carolino’s compound the night before but for unknown reason, the carnappers chose to take the red-plated one. Provincial Administrator Virgilio Solis, Jr. on learning of the incident, called for a province-wide alert for the missing provincial government vehicle.
He said however he was not fully blaming Carolino because as one of the deparment heads of the provincial government, he (Carolino) was allowed to bring home the provincial vehicle issued for his official use.
Solis said there was a memorandum of Gov. Victor Agbayani that officials and employees are not allowed to bring government vehicles to their homes after office hours and on weekends and holidays.
Exemptions to this rule, however, are provincial department heads like Carolino, he said. But nevertheless, the department heads cannot use the vehicles for their private trips except if they are on official mission and in such a case, should be issued corresponding trip tickets.
Solis said he ordered Carolino to exert utmost efforts to retrieve the vehicle and if it can not be found anymore, the vehicle’s insurance with the Government Service Insurance System will answer for its loss.
