15 cops, firemen sacked for scam

MANILA, Philippines - Fifteen more policemen, firemen and jail guards were relieved over the weekend for their alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso investment scam in Pagadian City.

Zamboanga del Sur police director Senior Superintendent Romeo Razon Uy said they are trying to establish the connection of the relieved officials to Aman Future Trading Phils., Inc. He said initial information showed some of the 15 acted as bodyguards of the firm’s executives.

Uy said posters containing information and guidelines have been distributed in the province to guide the public on what to do if victimized by the pyramiding scam.

He appealed to the public not to take the law into their hands, although he sympathizes with the victims who put all their money in the pyramiding double-your-money scam.

Uy described as manageable the peace and order situation in the province.

Those relieved were Police Officer 3 Roderick Luna, an alleged official of Aman Futures; Senior Police Officer 1 Rey Amor Chang, SPO1 Quintin Adjun Yap Rasanting, PO3 Martin Patrick Neil Lasaca, PO2 Esmeraldo Guadalquiver, PO1 Roderick Dumandan, PO1 Dominador Olive, PO1 Mark Burlat Mareojos, PO1 Mike Heres and PO1 Reynaldo Bocayong.

Bureau of Fire Prevention officers officials include Senior Fire Officer 4 John Tadtad Mareojos, SFO4 Jefferson Pansa-an Ferolino, and SFO2 Joseph Joenel Guillar Silao.

Jail guards Senior Jail Officer 2 Roel Asperana and SJOE Raymundo Repal were also relieved.

Uy said in the event that evidence would confirm their link to the illegal activities, they would be dismissed from the service.

‘If it’s too good to be true...’

President Aquino yesterday offered some unsolicited advice to Filipinos who usually fall prey to pyramiding scams, saying there is no such thing as very high-yielding interest in investment schemes.

“Nung bata ako sinabi sa akin ng mga magulang ko: If it sounds too good to be true, (then) it probably is not true,” he told journalists who covered the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Penh, Cambodia.

Aquino said the government would continue educating the people and citizens should always monitor commercial banks as a barometer on investments where only a very small percentage – one percent or even less – is given in interest on a yearly basis.

He said that if someone offers 30 percent per week, one should ask what kind of business that person is engaged in that pays more than 30 percent in a week.

Aquino said that Malaysian authorities have promised to help arrest the suspects through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.

Manuel Amalilio, the Malaysian chief executive officer of Aman Futures, has reportedly been hiding in Malaysia after the firm’investment scam was uncovered recently.

Amalilio’Aman Futures and Nad 21 Auto Option, the firm operated by Jacob Rasuman, have victimized thousands of Mindanao residents who lost billions after investing in the two firms. 

Aquino said Malaysian authorities have promised to assist Filipino law enforcement agencies to arrest the suspects who are hiding in Malaysia.

“There is already a commitment from, if I’not mistaken, the ambassador of Malaysia to the Philippines that they will assist us. We don’have issues with Malaysia as far as helping us catch the criminals,”Aquino said.

The police will launch pursuit operations to arrest the operators of Aman Futures.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has summoned Amalilio and officers of his firm.

The special panel of prosecutors has also set on Nov. 27 the first hearing in four initial complaints filed against executives and agents of Aman Futures.

Among those named respondents in four complaints filed by nine victims from Pagadian City are Amalilo and other board members of Aman identified as Fernando Luna, Lelian Lim Gan, Eduard Lim, William Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez and Lurix Lopez.

Also summoned by the DOJ are 37 officers and agents of Aman: Isagani

Laluna, Nimfa Luna, Dhurwin Wenceslao, Donna Coyme, Vanessa Luna, Noel

Luna, Reggie Luna, Araceli Pasco, Lezuy Caballero, Marilou Caballero,

Rogelio Caballero, Marichu Caballero, Rogelio Caballero, Roderick

Luna, Roy Aspera, Mike Heres, Edwin Caballero, Liezel Paner, Connie

Paner, Edward Amaro, Marione Tan Paner, Elen Tan, Judy Amaro, Mike

Wenceslao, Alfredo Aspera, Grace Empalmado, Ariel Empalmado, Yuyet

Dumandan, Toto Roda, Edilberto Cabillo Elmidulan, Shiela Luna Lasaca,

Ariel Real, Amay Caballero, Rey Tata Chang, Ernesto Luna, Marcelo

Andaleand and Marlou Lasaca.

In the subpoena by the DOJ panel chaired by Senior Asst. State

Prosecutor Edna Valenzuela, respondents who are in Metro Manila were ordered to answer charges of syndicated estafa and submit respective counter-affidavits in the hearing to be held at 2 p.m. in the DOJ multipurpose hall.

The summons will be personally served to addresses of respondents in

Metro Manila today, Valenzuela told reporters in an interview.

Those who are in Pagadian City, on the other hand, will face the panel in a hearing on Dec. 5.

Valenzuela bared that members of their panel are planning to go to the province to receive the answers of the respondents there.

The police will launch pursuit operations to arrest the operators of Aman Futures.

Western Mindanao regional police director Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles formed Task Force Aman to assist the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other law enforcement agencies in building up the case against Aman Futures officers.

Task Force Aman head Senior Superintendent Ramon Ochotorena said they are now in the process of filing the cases with the DOJ.

He said panel of special prosecutors would soon arrive in Pagadian City to start the preliminary hearing on the case.

Ochotorena said the task force is now coordinating with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 9, NBI, Zamboanga del Sur police and all other national support units.

He said there are now 62 respondents who were mostly involved in the Aman Futures investment scam in Pagadian City.

Police said aside from Amalilio, the suspects include Luna couple and other office workers of the Aman Futures and even security and bodyguards.

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

- With Delon Porcalla, Non Alquitran, Edu Punay, Sandy Araneta, Roel Pareño, Lino dela Cruz