Rent-sangla scam mastermind freed on bail

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Philippines – A local court has ordered the release of the alleged mastermind of a multimillion-peso car rental scam.

Rafaela Anunciacion, alias Ella, posted P40,000 bail in connection with the estafa case filed against her before the Laguna Regional Trial Court Branch 93. The court set the hearing on the case on March 28.

Superintendent Joel Jucutan, Highway Patrol Group-Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) deputy director, said the Department of Justice (DOJ)  created a 10-member panel to handle the complaint filed against Anunciacion in connection with the rent-sangla scam.

Anunciacion and her son Kyle were collared at their residence at the Ciudad San Jose Subdivision in Barangay San Lorenzo in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna last week.

“She was arrested for another estafa case filed against her in 2015, but not the criminal charges filed before the DOJ,” Jucutan said.

Anunciacion along with Anastacia Cauyan, Sabina Torrea, Tychicus Nambia, Eliseo Cortez and two others were charged with carjacking, swindling and syndicated estafa before the DOJ two weeks ago. They allegedly duped more than 800 vehicle owners across the country into lending their vehicles, which they later pawned.

The victims of the scam appealed to the DOJ to fast-track the resolution of the cases and issue the arrest warrants against the suspects.