DISMANTLE TOWING, CARNAPPING SYNDICATES - GRACE POE

Illegal towing tantamount to carnapping must be punished to protect citizens' fundamental rights.

This is the core of Sen. Grace Poe's Senate Resolution 708, which calls for a Senate probe on the "carnapping of vehicles disguised as towing" toward stricter regulations to address such menace.

Poe's proposal came in the wake of increasing complaints of illegal towing perpetrated by syndicates who dupe and violate property rights of unsuspecting vehicle owners.

The senator noted that as of May 2014, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has accredited only 24 towing companies.

Poe's resolution urged the MMDA and the Philippine National Police to "initiate a crackdown on fly-by-night operators and criminal syndicates that unlawfully tow and charge exorbitant fees." She also called on authorities to conduct a strict compliance check on towing firms nationwide to ensure adherence to the law.

At the same time, towing companies must exercise utmost care in dealing with vehicles purchased by citizens with their hard-earned income, Poe's resolution stated.

A tow truck has to blow its horn to try to get the attention of the car owners, who are advised to verify the legitimacy of the towing operations with the MMDA.

If the towing is illegal, then the incident may be considered as a case of car theft.