HPG warns vs ‘rent-tangay’

MANILA, Philippines - The Highway Patrol Group (HPG) yesterday warned the public, particularly car rental firms, against those who rent vehicles, then steal them and kill their drivers.

Senior Inspector Jem Delantes of the HPG Task Force Limbas said the HPG is investigating at least six cases of “rent-tangay,” from January to June.

Among these cases is that of Paul Brazil, whose body was dumped in Abucay, Bataan last June 19.

The bodies are dumped in isolated places in Regions 1, 3 and 4A, particularly in Laguna, Tarlac and Pangasinan provinces, to mislead investigators, Delantes said.

“The rising number of murdered drivers (and) victims of carjacking using the rent-tangay scheme created fear in the civilian populace particularly those in car rental business and caught the attention of the mass media and the HPG,” Delantes said.

Delantes said the victims include Joselito Santiago, Joel Lulu, Paul Brazil, Jericho Mantile and Rolando dela Cruz.

HPG director Chief Superintendent Antonio Gardiola Jr. created a special operations division to find and arrest those behind the modus operandi.