A Bacolod resident was sentenced yesterday to 15 years imprisonment for stealing a tricycle, which is a violation of the Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 .

Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 49 Judge Manuel Cardinal Jr. sentenced Renato Aranico Logares, 42, to 14 years imprisonment as minimum to 15 years as maximum to be served as the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa, Rizal.

Logares was found guilty of stealing the tricycle of Margielina Patriarca Canoy worth P28,000 in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City, on June 22, 2004.

Evidence presented in court showed that Logares approached Jerry Canoy, at 6 a.m. on June 22, 2004 to ask if he could rent the tricyle of his mother, Margielina Canoy.

However, she declined to let him rent it as she was using it to vend fish.

At 8 p.m. of June 22 she noticed that the tricycle was no longer parked in front of her house and was told by witness Pablito Capitulo that the person who wanted to rent it earlier rode away on it.

On June 30, 2004 Canoy said she was informed by her son that he saw their tricycle being flashed on television as the one used by Bongbong Mahusay, Renato Logares, and an unidentified person in a theft case, the court was told.

The tricycle was impounded at Bacolod Police Station 1 and was released to Canoy who went to claim it.

Capitulo identified Logares , who was locked up in a police cell, as the one who wanted to rent Canoy’s tricycle and who eventually drove away with it.

Logares denied stealing the tricycle, claiming he had leased it from Canoy.

The court said Logares did not present any evidence to show ill motive by Capitulo to testify against him.

The prosecution, on the other hand, fully established by clear and convincing evidence that Logares carted away the tricycle without the consent of Margielina Canoy.

Logares will be allowed full credit for his preventive detention, Cardinal said.*CPG

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