Filtered By: Topstories
News

DOJ OKs charges vs. 8 in ‘rent-sangla’ car rental scam


The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended the the pressing of syndicated or large-scale estafa charges against eight alleged co-conspirators in a supposed "rent-sangla" car rental scam.

In a resolution obtained Monday, state prosecutors approved the filing of criminal charges against respondents Rafaela Anunciacion, Marilou Cruz, Edgardo Ramos, Alfredo Ronquillo, Eliseo Cortez, Anastacia Cauyan, Sabina Torrea, and Leonardo Torrea.

The complainants, car owners, claimed they were lured by these individuals into a car rental business in exchange for monthly fees of P20,000 to P50,000. However, they alleged, the rental fees went undelivered and the vehicles mortgaged to different persons without their knowledge or consent.

The eight will be charged with 14 counts of syndicated/large scale estafa—for 14 complainants—as defined and penalized under Section 1 of Presidential Decree No. 1689 in relation to Article 315 (2)(a) of the Revised Penal Code with conspiracy as its mode of commission, the DOJ said.

In reaching this conclusion, the DOJ decided all the elements of estafa by means of deceit under the said penal code provision were present in the case, and considered it syndicated as the alleged offense was committed by five or more persons.

"The scheme to defraud is unmistakably apparent in the manner by which the vehicles ended up being mortgaged to innocent investors," the DOJ said in the resolution.

"Moreover, deceit is obvious not only from the fact that respondents have represented a fictitious car rental business to complainants but also from the deliberate concealment of their business' lack of sufficient assets or paid-up capital," it said.

Meanwhile, the complaints against four others were dismissed for lack of evidence. One car owner's complaint against yet another respondent, which was withdrawn, was also dismissed for the same ground.

The DOJ also junked carnapping charges against the respondents for lack of probable cause.

The resolution was signed by Assistant State Prosecutors Bryan Jacinto Cacha and Anna Noreen Devanadera and approved by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor and Task Force Rent-Sangla Chairperson Rosanne Balauag and Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon. — BM, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT