It started as an ordinary morning in San Jose City, but by midday, police across Nueva Ecija were racing through highways and backroads to track down a stolen Toyota Hilux — and the man believed to have taken it.

The pickup, parked in front of the Barangay Hall of San Juan, was reported stolen at around 10:45 a.m. on 29 November 2025. The moment the alert reached the Philippine National Police–Highway Patrol Group, the chase was on.

According to a report submitted to HPG Director Police Brigadier General Hansel M. Marantan, the Provincial Highway Patrol Team (PHPT)-Nueva Ecija quickly teamed up with units from San Jose City Police Station, Rizal Municipal Police Station, Pantabangan MPS and the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office. What followed was a coordinated hot-pursuit operation stretching across several towns.

With intelligence sharing and quick communication between units, officers found the Hilux abandoned along the roadside in Barangay Poblacion Sur, Rizal. But the case didn’t end there.

By 3 p.m., after more follow-up work, operatives tracked down a 38-year-old construction worker from Barangay San Juan, San Jose City. He was arrested in Barangay Cambitala, Pantabangan. Police withheld his identity in line with the Data Privacy Act.

The arrest was conducted using body-worn cameras and alternative recording devices, following Supreme Court guidelines to ensure transparency and proper documentation. Officers also made sure the suspect understood his constitutional rights.

Both the recovered Hilux and the suspect are now under the custody of PHPT–Nueva Ecija as investigators complete the paperwork. A criminal complaint for violating Republic Act 10883, or the New Anti-Carnapping Act of 2016, is being prepared for filing.

What began as a quiet morning in San Jose City ended with a recovered vehicle, a suspect in custody, and another reminder of how fast police work can unfold when coordination clicks into place.