The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed estafa charges againts the chief executive officer and 49 employees of an alleged car and motorcyle trading firm for reported failure to turnover the vehicles purchased by clients. 

In a statement, the NBI identified the executive officer as Reynaldo M. Calda of Digicars Auto Trading OPC.  It did not include in its statement the names of the 49 employees.

It said the criminal complaints were filed before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office for computer-related forgery under Section (4)(b)(1) of Republic Act (RA) 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012; estafa under Article 315 (2)(a) of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) in relation to Section 6 of RA10175; and syndicated estafa under Section 1 of Presidential Decree (PD) 1689 in relation to Section 6 of RA 10175.

The NBI said the complaints were filed "after the bureau's Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) received multiple complaints from fifty-six (56) complainants alleging that Digicars headed by its CEO Subject Calda and represented by its agents had been offering vehicles and motorcycles on its website and Facebook page at prices below the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) of each vehicle and motorcycles.” 

“Investigation revealed that Digicars only acted as financing company and not a multi-franchise dealer as what they represent in their advertisements on Facebook and their webpage https://www.digicars.ph/,” it said. 

“These misrepresentations resulted in data shared through their website and Facebook page misleading Complainants to entering into a contract with them and eventually part with their money,” it also said. 

The NBI said the victims, who were enticed with low monthly installment options, alleged that Digicars instructed them “to obtain an approved auto-financing/loan from other car or motorcycle dealer beforehand, in which the Complainants complied.”  

“After completing all the necessary requirements, the Complainants then will enter into a contract with Digicars requiring them to pay 50 percent of the original price of their chosen vehicle. Digicars will get the 30 percent while the remaining 20 percent will be paid to a certain dealer as down payment. The contract also provides that clients will pay a monthly amortization lower than the original amortization that they would pay if directly paid with the car/motorcycle dealer,” it said.