Rent-tangay does not pay

The victims were promised returns of from P20,000

to P50,000 but the company lacked sufficient capital to pay up.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) is set to indict eight persons on 14 counts of syndicated estafa in connection with the so-called “rent-tangay” or “rent-sangla” scam.

The modus operandi involved pawning or not returning vehicles for hire, according to government prosecutors who found probable cause to charge the suspects.

Those recommended indicted were Rafaela Anunciacion, Marilou Cruz, Edgardo Ramos, Alfredo Ronquillo, Eliseo Cortez, Anastacia Cauyan, Sabina and Leonardo Torrea.

No bail was recommended as the cases already involved large-scale estafa with more than five conniving to dupe their victims.

Based on the resolution prepared by DoJ Assistant State Prosecutor Bryan Jacinto Cacha and Anna Noreen Devanadera, the accused allegedly violated Paragraph 2-A of Article 315 of the Revised Penal code.

Several car owners have lodged complaints before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). They alleged they were enticed by the suspects to enrol their cars in a rent-a-car business and, in turn, were assured of earning P20,000-P50,000 per month.

The suspects were engaged in the business of renting cars under their Creative Tempo company, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a manpower-sourcing firm and not as a car rental firm.

The carnapping complaint lodged against the suspects though was junked by the DoJ as there was no force or intimidation employed on the victims but only the promise of earning big from the transactions.

Likewise, the DoJ also dismissed the complaint against Ramon Anunciacion, Vladimir Cauyan, Carlo Anunciacion, Erico Cruz, and Bienvenido Cruz for lack of evidence to pin them on the large scale estafa.

“Deceit is obvious not only from the fact that respondents have represented a fictitious car rental business to complainants but also from the deliberate concealment of their business’ lack of sufficient assets or paid-up capital,” said the DoJ resolution.

DoJ Task Force Rent-Sangla chairperson, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rosanne Balauag and Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon approved the resolution.