By Philippine News Agency
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to conduct its first preliminary investigation on the complaints filed against the perpetrators behind the ‘rent-tangay’ modus operandi which has victimized car owners from different parts of the country.
(Credits: AP Photo | Francois Mori | Manila Bulletin file photo)
The 10-member panel of prosecutors headed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rosanne Balauag will begin the preliminary investigation on the complaints filed against the suspects who allegedly masterminded the scam on Monday at 10 a.m.
The other members of the panel are Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rex Gingoyon, Assistant State Prosecutors Aristotle Reyes, Rodan Parrocha, Bryan Jacinto Cacha Jr., Anna Noreen Devanadera and Jovyanne Escaño-Santamari, and Assistant Prosecution Attorneys Wendell Bendoval, Joan Garcia and Marc Eico Tariga.
The panel will hear the complaint filed by Philippine National Police - Highway Patrol Group and several sets of victims of the scam from Bulacan, Laguna, Angeles City, Batangas and Nueva Ecija have filed charges for carjacking, swindling and syndicated estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code and Presidential Decree 1689 against Rafaela Anunciacion, Eleanor “Leah” Constantino Rosales, Tychicus Historillo Nambio, Jhennelyn Berroya, Anastacia Montes Cauyan, Marilou Cruz, Eliseo Cortez and Sabina Torrea.
Anunciacion, Nambio, Rosales and a certain Ana Pamplona Borlon are already the subject of an immigration look-out bulletin order issued by DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II which enables authorities to monitor any attempt on their part to leave the country.
Anunciacion and Nambio are now in police custody.
Under the “rent-tangay” scheme, authorities said the suspects would convince car owners to become business associates in a rent-a-car service and have their cars rented for a hefty profit.
At first, the car owners will get paid but, unknowingly, in the end their vehicles will be pawned to other people and the suspects will disappear, making the victims unable to get their rented vehicles back.