‘Rentangay’ group hits car rental outlets

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A crime syndicate, locally known as “Rentangay,” had struck rent-a-car operators in Dumaguete City and took with them at least five vehicles, two of these brand-new, which it first rented but never returned.

The Highway Patrol Group (HPG) here, while warning car-rental outlets in Negros Oriental of this syndicate called "Rentangay,"— coined from the words ‘rent’ and ‘tangay (to take away) — on Wednesday filed at the City Prosecutor’s Office five counts of carnapping against the suspect, who was believed to be the leader of the group.

The National Bureau of Investigation said four rent-a-car operators from Valencia and Bacong towns, and Dumaguete City earlier sought the help of NBI-Dumaguete after the car renters failed to return the units within the days stipulated in the contracts.

The victims and the respective stolen or unreturned rented vehicles were: Just Ride Rent-a-Car in Valencia operated by Caroline Otod — a brown Mitsubishi Montero; Scuds Car rental in Dumaguete City owned by Michael Andres — a Toyota Avanza; an unnamed rent-a-car business at Aldea Homes Subdivision in Sibulan — a Toyota Wigo and a Hi-Ace van (both 2018 models); and the wife of a police officer identified as Mara Josie Somoza of Bacong town — a Crosswind SUV.

All the victims said they negotiated separately on July 24 and 25 with the same woman who presented to them identification cards such as PhilHealth, Tax Identification Number, and a driver’s license that were later found to be fictitious.

The victims said they have been tracking their vehicles through GPS and found them to be in Mindanao, particularly Davao and Dipolog. This prompted them to seek the help of the HPG and the NBI in Dumaguete.