‘Rent sangla’ suspect shot dead in Laguna
SAN PEDRO CITY, Laguna—One of the suspects in the multimillion-peso car rental scam was shot dead in front of her house in Sta. Rosa city in Laguna province on Wednesday afternoon, police said on Thursday.
Lea Rosales had just gotten out of her car when two men on a motorcycle shot and killed her in Barangay (village) Malusak at 3:40 p.m., according to Supt. Joel Estaris, Sta. Rosa police chief.
Estaris said Rosales came from the city prosecutor’s office for a preliminary investigation related to charges of syndicated estafa filed against her over the so-called “rent sangla” operation.
The scheme reportedly duped hundreds of vehicle owners into a car rental business. However, unknown to the owners, the suspects pawned the vehicles to other people.
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“Based on our investigation, a black SUV (sport utility vehicle) had dropped (Rosales) off in front of her house when the gunmen appeared. It seemed she was already being tailed,” Estaris said.
He said the wounded Rosales managed to run about 10 feet into the street but she eventually collapsed.
A security camera in the vicinity showed one of the gunmen wearing a ski mask and the other a helmet.
Senior Insp. Myra Novilla, spokesperson of the police’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG) in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region, confirmed that Rosales was one of the respondents in the string of syndicated estafa cases filed by scam victims in the Department of Justice.
Rosales, she said, was earlier arrested but later released since a previous case filed against her was for simple estafa, a bailable offense.
About two months ago, the HPG also arrested the group’s alleged mastermind, Rafaela Anunciacion, also in Sta. Rosa City. She too was released after posting bail.
READ: ‘Rent sangla’ mastermind nabbed in Laguna
Anunciacion, in her statement to the police, denied working with Rosales, contrary to the complainants’ claims that Rosales acted as Anunciacion’s secretary./rga
