Motor shop owner faces more raps for car theft

MANILA, Philippines - Several persons have filed complaints against a businesswoman arrested for car theft a week ago, Highway Patrol Group (HPG) director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said yesterday.

He said several more complainants accused Freda Nagtalon, a motor shop owner, of taking their luxury vehicles on the pretext of renting them but failed to return the cars.

Nagtalon was arrested in an entrapment after retired Marine sergeant Angelito Noriega filed a complaint. He said he brought his van for repairs to Nagtalon’s shop, but Nagtalon pawned it to other persons, who demanded P140,000 from him for the van’s return.

The HPG chief said Anna Victoria also accused Nagtalon – who uses the aliases Dhang Llanto, Freda Llanto, Rose Aguinaldo and Roselyn Aguinaldo – of failing to return her Ford Expedition.

The businesswoman also faces a complaint from a person claiming to have been duped of P500,000 by Nagtalon over a vehicle franchise application. Nagtalon denied the charges.

Espina said Nagtalon was the subject of a number of warrants of arrest, prompting the HPG to call on individuals who might have information or complaints against the businesswoman.