By Ali Macabalang COTABATO CITY – The regional office here of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has indicted four civilians and a junior Army officer for alleged involvement in a “rent-a-car” scam that victimized hundreds of clients including military officials. Lawyer Arnold Rosales, NBI regional director for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said on Saturday his office has filed before the city prosecutor’s office formal complaints in three batches between February and March this year. “There are 152 (victims) who have completed documentary requirements to constitute complaints so far,” Rosales told The Manila Bulletin, hinting that more victims could also come out to complain. Charged for syndicated estafa were Cassandra Sharijane Dinayugan, owner-operator of the Lahdin’s Trucking and Car Rental; her husband Richard Dinayugan, an Army junior officer; and Kandi Samuel, Pancho Balawag, and Concepcion Balawag. Earlier reports said Cassandra gained access to military and civilian clients because she is the daughter of a ranking education official in Cotabato region, and was married to an Army officer belonging to a Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class. Cassandra had allegedly “pawned” or “sold” to clients more than 600 luxury cars, including Fortuner and Montero wagons, Ford Ranger pickups, Toyota and Nissan vans, by purportedly using “spurious documents.” But the luxury cars actually belonged to affluent families in Cotabato region who obtained four or more units on installment basis from car distribution companies at an average of P25,000 monthly payment each. The owners lent their cars to Cassandra on rental basis at P45,000 fee per month, sources said. They said the “irregular” scheme went on smoothly for few months until Cassandra became “wanted” by the owners for her failure to pay the agreed rentals later on. Last September, an Army senior official confirmed that the scam had victimized more than 100 officers of the Maguindanao-based Sixth Infantry Division and other military units outside Central Mindanao. When summoned by the 6ID leadership, the official said, Cassandra pledged to refund millions of pesos in exchange for the return of the vehicles “pawned” or “sold” to military officers. Before the confrontation, the 6ID issued a statement clarifying that it had no official knowledge of deals between Cassandra and military clients. (Ali G. Macabalang)