NBI directed to probe ‘rent-tangay’ scam 

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Friday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the so-called "rent-tangay" scam that is said to have already victimized some 500 car owners. 

Aguirre has given the NBI 15 days to submit a status report on the investigation on the scam. 

The justice chief also issued an immigration lookout bulletin order against Tychicus Historillo Nambio, a suspect in the rent-tangay scheme currently detained at the Biñan Police headquarters.

"They (victims) fear that Mr. Nambio would fly to London, England in possession of a huge amount of money in the denomination of said country," the lookout bulletin stated.

The syndicate allegedly carried out the scheme by giving "fraudulent promises" of rental income only to find out later that their vehicles were either mortgaged or sold to different people without their knowledge and consent. 

"Nobody should be allowed to profit from scamming others. We simply cannot tolerate it," Aguirre said.

Meanwhile, a television report said suspects behind the scam might face estafa or economic sabotage charges.

A report on GMA News TV's Balitanghali quoted the NBI as saying that they are gathering complaints in connection with the scam.

GMA News' Cedric Castillo reported that the parking lot of the NBI-Cavite in Tagaytay City and the Headquarters of the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group in Canlubang, Laguna seemed like a showroom due to the number of recovered cars from the rental scam.  

But authorities said that other victims are hesitant to file complaints against the suspects.

Nambio is facing charges of grave threat, a bailable offense. Syndicated estafa charges, which is non-bailable, have yet to be filed against him, the television report said.

"Ang iba kasi ayaw ng kaso kaso na eh. Tutal nabawi na nila yung sasakyan, bakit sila makikisama pa doon sa magfa-file ng asunto, eh for abala pa sa kanila yon," Supt. Serafin Petalio II, chief of Biñan Police said.

"So magiging weak yung complaint against dito sa suspect, yun po ang problema natin diyan," Petalio added.

Rafaela Anunciacion, also allegedly involved in the scam, is still free. Anunciacion had faced a complainant before the Highway Patrol Group in Canlubang but was not detained since there was no standing arrest warrant against her. — Virgil Lopez and Maryll Rome Bondoc/RSJ, GMA News