Lookout bulletin issued vs rent-sangla ‘brains’

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice yesterday issued a lookout bulletin against the alleged mastermind and her cohorts in a car rental scam that victimized more than a hundred vehicle owners in the country.

This developed as at least 100 victims of the syndicate filed a complaint against Rafaela Anunciacion, Anastacia Cauyan, Sabina Torrea, Tychicus Nambio and Eliseo Cortez before the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) 4-A.

Anunciacion is said to be the leader of the syndicate.

Aside from Anunciacion, the subjects of the lookout bulletin were Eleanor Rosales and Ana Borlon.

HPG 4-A deputy director Superintendent Joel Jacutan said carjacking, swindling and syndicated estafa charges would be filed today before the DOJ against Anunciacion, Cauyan, Torrea, Nambio and Cortez.

Nambio was recently arrested in Biñan City, Laguna for an estafa case, but he managed to post bail.

The HPG 4-A and Task Force Limbas have launched a manhunt for the suspects.

The lookout bulletin directed  personnel of the Bureau of Immigration in different airports in the country to inform the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) once they spotted any of the suspects leaving the country.

Unlike the hold order, the lookout bulletin cannot prevent the suspects from leaving.

Subjects of a lookout bulletin are required to ask DOJ’s permission to leave the country and assure the agency of their return.

It was the second bulletin the DOJ issued against the rent-sangla scam suspects.

Last Friday, the agency issued a similar bulletin against Nambio based on a request of the Biñan prosecutor’s office.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre ordered the NBI to investigate the scam.

Aguirre gave the NBI 15 days to submit their findings.

Jacutan said the group persuades car owners to have their vehicles rented out through Anunciacion’s car rental business.

The syndicate gives car owners an initial payment after they agreed to lease their vehicles.

The group pawns or sells the car to a third party.

Jacutan said the vehicles, which have been recovered in separate anti-carjacking operations in Bulacan and Metro Manila as well as in Calabarzon, (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) would be release to the owners. – With Ed Amoroso, Rey Galupo