Zamboanga cops prepare cases vs Aman Group execs

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The regional police in Zamboanga will join efforts of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to hunt down and arrest the officials of the pyramiding firm Aman Futures Group Philippines Inc. once charges have been filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles, Zamboanga regional police chief, formed Task Force Aman which will help the NBI and other law enforcement agencies in the hunt for the company's officials liable for the P12-billion investment scam.

Task Force Aman chairman Senior Superintendent Ramon Ochotorena said they are now in the process of filing and submitting the cases to the panel of special team of prosecutors sent by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Ochotorena said the panel of special prosecutors will be arriving in Pagadian City anytime to start hearing the case.

He said the task force has a lateral cooperation with other law enforcement units, including the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 9 (CIDG), NBI, Zamboanga del Sur police and all other national support units.

“If ever we are successful in the filing of charges and warrants of arrest are issued – we will conduct operations for the arrest of the suspects involved in the scam,” Ochotorena said.

62 respondents

The police official said that there are at least 62 people involved in the Aman Futures investment scam in Pagadian City alone.

Those who will be tracked down include the couple Fernando Luna alias Nonoy, his wife Nimfa, the office workers of the Aman Futures – including security, bodyguards, tellers, and office workers.

“We have information that they are in hiding in the other provinces,” Ochotorena said.

Estilles has already directed police stations in Zamboanga del Sur province to help facilitate the filing of complaints and submit it to Task Force Aman. The move also aims to ease out the volume of complainants at the NBI office.

Ochotorena said it is estimated that one out of four households in Pagadian City were victims of the scam.

“We directed police station commanders para hindi mahirapan ang mga victims because practically one out of four households are victims,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police official said that they are also in the process of identifying the properties of the Aman Futures Group that will be confiscated and the value will be divided to the scam victims.