Key players in ‘rent-sangla’ scheme snub DOJ probe

The alleged main players in the “rent-sangla” scheme failed to appear before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday, the start of its preliminary investigation on the criminal cases filed against them.

Rafaela Anunciacion, the alleged brains of the scam, did not appear in the first hearing. She also failed to send a lawyer to represent her.

Anunciacion was arrested last March 2 by members of the Philippine National Police Regional Highway Patrol Unit 4-A’s special operations team following the issuance of a warrant for estafa by Judge Francisco Pano of San Pedro, Laguna regional trial court branch 93.

However, she was able to secure her temporary liberty after she posted bail.

The investigating DOJ panel chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rosanne Balauag then issued another subpoena on Anunciacion’s second address.

Another respondent, Tychicus Nambia, also failed to appear before the DOJ.

On the other hand, respondents Anastacia Cauyan, Sabina Torrea, Eliseo Cortez, Eleanor Constantino, Marilou Cruz, Jhennelyn Berroya, Ana Borlon and Lea Rosales appeared before the prosecutors to receive copies of the complaints.

They have until the next two hearings set on March 27 and 31 to submit their response to allegations of swindling and syndicated estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code and Presidential Decree 1689.

The DOJ has already placed Anunciacion and other respondents under the Immigration lookout bulletin earlier.

The complaints were filed by the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group and several sets of victims of the scam from Bulacan, Laguna, Angeles City, Batangas and Nueva Ecija.

The victims in the first batch of complaints also attended the DOJ hearing to affirm their respective affidavits.

Probers said the suspects enticed vehicle owners to buy cars via bank loans and rent them out for P35,000 to P45,000 a month.

Once the owners agreed, their vehicles would never be returned to them as these have been apparently either mortgaged or sold to different persons without their knowledge.

The car rental scam has reportedly victimized some 500 people./rga