HPG: 10 rent-tangay vehicles recovered in Batangas, Laguna

The Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) said it has recovered 10 vehicles linked to an alleged “rent-tangay” or “rent-benta” scheme during operations in Batangas and Laguna.

In a press briefing, HPG chief Police Brigadier General Rommel Batangan said the operations were conducted from May 7 to 8.

“Kinukuha niya po 'yung trust and confidence nitong mga actually ka-barangay niya sa lugar niya. So ipinapasok po nila from rental and then sasapuhin niya. At ito naman po 'yung kanyang ibibenta, 'yung mga units,” he said.

(She was gaining the trust and confidence of her neighbors in her barangay. So they would bring their vehicles for rental and then she would manage them. And then she would sell these units.)

Investigators said a female suspect from San Pascual, Batangas allegedly gained the trust of vehicle owners by offering long-term rental arrangements supposedly for company use.

The vehicles were later sold, used as collateral, or not returned to their owners despite repeated demands.

Police recovered three vehicles in Santa Cruz, Laguna and six more in San Pascual, Batangas, while another was voluntarily surrendered at the HPG office in Laguna.

The HPG returned the vehicles to their owners on Monday.

Authorities are now conducting further investigation to determine if more vehicles were involved in the scheme and urged possible victims in Calabarzon to coordinate with the police.

One of the victims said that for the first transactions, the suspect initially returned the rented vehicles properly before later proposing them for long-term company rentals.

The victim said some of the vehicles were eventually sold without the owners’ consent, including his SUV allegedly sold for P350,000 and his pickup allegedly sold for P800,000.

Police said cases for violations of the Anti-Carnapping Law and estafa under the Revised Penal Code are being prepared against the suspect. —AOL, GMA News