‘Rent-tangay’ suspect falls

MANILA, Philippines — An alleged member of a crime ring linked to the theft of over 100 vehicles in a “rent-tangay” scam was arrested in Quezon City, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) announced on Saturday.

PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said Jebra Pascual is in the custody of the police Highway Patrol Group (HPG) based on a warrant of arrest issued by a Quezon City court for falsification of public documents.

In a message on Viber, Cruz said Pascual was apprehended at a condotel in Barangay Pinyahan on Feb. 21.

According to Cruz, the suspect is a member of a criminal gang operating a motorized vehicle scheme wherein victims were enticed to enter their vehicle into a transport network vehicle service (TNVS) for a booking arrangement in exchange for sharing profits.

The owners were unaware that their vehicles would be passed to other victims, who were also duped into becoming TNVS operators.

The vehicles were then sold to other unsuspecting buyers.

Cruz said Pascual is in charge of falsifying vehicle and public documents of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Cruz said the syndicate stole more than 100 vehicles in its operations in Metro Manila. Twenty of the vehicles have been recovered so far by the HPG.