Cop, 2 others arrested in Parañaque over ‘rent-tangay’ scheme

Parañaque map. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — A police officer and two other individuals were arrested in Parañaque City last June 5 for their alleged involvement in a “rent-tangay” scheme, according to the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In a report on Sunday, HPG identified the three as Lt. Col. Gideon Ines Jr, 53, Michael Perez Bautista, 42, and Lyn Salazar Tuazon, 52, who were collared during an intelligence driven operation along Roxas Boulevard Service Road, near a restaurant in Baclaran.

READ: Inconsistent ‘rent-tangay’ victims may face perjury raps—lawyer

One of the suspects introduced herself to the complainant using an alias “Carmela Tayag” and made the online transaction for the car rental agreement, along with Bautista, who received the rented vehicle from the owner, Michael Guanlao.

Police said the vehicle was rented for two days from June 2 to 4, but the suspects failed to return it to the owner on the agreed date.

On June 5, the owner’s wife, Ria, received information from a supposed buyer that their car was posted online for sale. The complainant and the supposed buyer sought the help of the authorities, which led to the conduct of the police operation.

Operatives of HPG responded to the meeting place around 5 p.m. along with the complainant. Two suspects were onboard the Mitsubishi Xpander, while the other suspect, Ines, alighted from a Mitsubishi Montero. The three inspected the vehicle and the papers before the complainant, who posed as the buyer, approached them.

Upon seeing the complainant, all suspects tried to escape but were apprehended by the HPG operatives on standby in the area.

Police said the complainant positively identified Bautista as the main suspect, Tuazon as “Carmela Tayag” who arranged the rental agreement, and Ines “as the person giving orders in the transaction.”

Confiscated from the suspects were a green envelope containing a photocopy of the OR/CR (official receipt or certificate of registration), an Open Deed of Sale purportedly signed by Ria Guanlao as seller, and a photocopy of her fake ID.

Also found inside Ines’ vehicle were a laptop, earphones, charger, mouse, tumbler, flash drive, memory card, cash amounting to P36,317, a pistol with magazine loaded with live ammunition, three spare magazines with live ammunition, and personal documents.

The three are detained at Special Operations Division-HPG Headquarters, where the Mitsubishi Xpander and Montero were also brought.