After being arrested for illegal dental practice in Benguet, authorities find that Jun Jun and Catherine Banal fled fraud and other charges related to their car rental business in Pampanga

PAMPANGA, Philippines – A couple who fled an alleged car rental scam were arrested on August 2 for illegally practicing dentistry at their residence in Sablan, Benguet.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Baguio City arrested Jun Jun Banal and his wife Catherine during a bait and switch operation for alleged violation of the Philippine Dental Act of 2007. They are currently detained in Tuba, Benguet.

Authorities confiscated various dental equipment from their three-story home. The local chapter of the Philippine Dental Association had previously suspected the couple of practicing as dentists without a valid license.

The couple was arrested solely on suspicion of illegal dental practice. It was only after further investigation by the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) that authorities learned that the couple was involved in a large-scale car rental scam in Pampanga called Param Car Rental Services.

The Banal couple had already been issued arrest warrants for serious crimes, including large-scale fraud, carnapping and estafa, in October 2023. The charges against them were filed before the Regional Trial Court of Angeles City and the Municipal Trial Court of Mabalacat City.

Dubious car rental business

Police Major Joseph Tayaban, HPG Cordillera Administrative Region Investigation Chief, said the pair conspired and worked together to falsely portray Param Car Rental as a legitimate investment company. According to Tayaban, the pair managed to amass a total of P300 million from at least 149 people before fleeing to Sablan to evade arrest.

“The suspects used and promoted the company name Param Car Rental (and conspired and aided each other) in fraudulent representations and false claims that they were a legitimate investment company offering 10% interest monthly. They collected more or less P300 million from several victims and then went into hiding in Sablan, Benguet to evade their accusers and the authorities,” Tayaban told Rappler on Friday, August 9.

Documents obtained by Rappler show that Param Car Rental was registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue in June 2018 and with the Department of Trade and Industry in November 2019. The Mabalacat City Business Permit and Licensing Office issued a business permit in 2021.

The Banals were also residents of Mabalacat City, Pampanga. They attempted to run as barangay officials in Barangay Sapang Biabas in Mabalacat City. However, their arrest warrants were issued a week before the barangay elections in October 2023.

In a separate interview posted on the HPG Facebook page, Jun Jun defended his company, claiming that his business in Pampanga has a good reputation. Jun Jun claimed that all investors have seen a return on their investments and pointed to the presence of billboards along major roads such as in Angeles City and along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as proof of the company’s legitimate operations.

“Sikat na sikat kami sa Pampanga. May nanira lang po talaga. Ganyan po ang nangyari. All investors are safe. It is not easy to do this. Papaano masasabi na scam po kami? May billboard po kami dalawa. This is Abacan, this is NLEX. Did you try to scam, what is your business name? This is my name business. Many of the investors are known, but many do not know what they want. Walang Hindi Nabalik”, said Jun Jun.

(We are very popular in Pampanga. Someone is just sabotaging us. This is what happened. All my investors have made money. Their investments have already paid off and they are still making money. How can we be called a fraud? We have two billboards. One in Abacan, one in NLEX. How can this be a fraud? We have been in business for a long time. We do a lot of business. All of our investors’ cars have been returned. Not a single one has been returned.)

One of the victims, Daniel Sumang, told Rappler in an interview on August 8 that he was initially lured by the couple’s promise of high monthly returns of between 12 and 15 percent. However, he only received P200,000, a fraction of the expected amount.

Sumang invested a total of P4.6 million under six franchise agreements between June 2021 and May 2022. Documents obtained by Rappler show that the Banal couple still have an obligation of P11.078 million to Sumang.

Sumang said he was convinced when the Banal couple mentioned that their business partners included a well-known corporation.

“Ikit mi ya itang post keng Facebook tapus minawus kami keta number na. Pepapuntalan da kami karela, keng opisina ra. Anyang Akit Mi Keng Opisina Ketang Ketang Param Car Rental in No Man Business Permit for Munisipyo. Inalukan ra kami mumuna 12% Anya Pinayag Kami. After a month I had 15% more than ever before.” Sumang told Rappler in Kapampangan language.

(We saw their ad on Facebook and called their number. They asked us to visit their Param Car Rental office where we came to know that they had a business license from the City Hall. Initially they offered us 12% so we agreed. After a month they increased the offer to 15%.)

“I am interested in visiting San Miguel and visiting San Miguel. I would like to ask you to provide a quote for the business partner at the airport, hotel, San Miguel (Corporation). I am interested in visiting San Miguel and visiting San Miguel. I would like to book a room,” he added.

(Their offer appealed to me because they also claimed to have business partners from the airport, hotels and San Miguel Corporation. I was particularly interested in San Miguel because I knew it was a big company, so we decided to sign up.)

Meanwhile, the PAOCC reiterated its determination to seek justice for all other victims of the couple’s fraudulent activities and to continue to support the PNP in its efforts to curb organized crime across the country. – Rappler.com