Police have filed carnapping, damage to property, and disobedience to a person in authority charges against Jermar Taburnal, the man accused of stealing his employer’s SUV and leading officers on a tense pursuit through Barangay Fatima.
Taburnal allegedly took the vehicle after losing his job, a moment police say may have fueled anger and desperation. Witnesses recalled the chase as chaotic and frightening — as the SUV reportedly rammed through store fronts while officers tried to stop it.
P/Maj. Jethro Dolinas, chief of the MakAR Police Station, confirmed that authorities requested a neuro-psychiatric assessment from the City Health Office. The goal, he said, is to understand whether Taburnal acted out of rage alone or if underlying psychological concerns influenced his actions.
“The court will determine whether the suspect has special needs,” Dolinas said, emphasizing that the case must consider mental health factors as well as criminal accountability.
Taburnal, meanwhile, reportedly told investigators that he accepts the charges and is prepared to face what comes next. In a rare glimpse of vulnerability, he shared one personal request — that his family from Maramag, Bukidnon, visit him in detention.
Families who saw their storefronts damaged worry about the cost of repairs, while residents who witnessed the chase described both fear and relief once officers stopped the vehicle.
For now, Taburnal’s future sits with the courts — a story shaped by anger, choices, and possibly unseen struggles. The community waits to see whether justice, accountability, and support will meet in the days ahead.
