Court orders arrest of Amalilio; 2 Aman execs surrender

MANILA, Philippines - A Pagadian City court yesterday ordered the arrest of Filipino-Malaysian businessman Manuel Amalilio as two incorporators of the Aman Futures Group Philippines Inc., the company tagged in the biggest investment scam in the country, surrendered to the Department of Justice Thursday night.                

The arrest warrant issued by Judge Dennis Vicoy of the Pagadian City Regional Trial Court branch 20 allows the government to bring back to the country Amalilio, who is reportedly in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, for him to stand trial. 

Aman president Fernando Luna and his wife Nimfa surrendered to DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima.

They were turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation.

Aside from Amalilio, also ordered arrested on syndicated estafa charges filed against them by the DOJ last Thursday were the five board members who had earlier cooperated in the NBI probe – Leila Lim Gan, Eduard Lim, Willanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez and Lurix Lopez; and two other officers, Dhurwen Wenceslao and Dona Coyme.

Police were ordered to execute the arrest order in 10 days.

The court also directed the NBI to present the six accused in its custody for issuance of proper order for their commitment at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Lenienza, Pagadian City.       

No bail was recommended for the suspects’ temporary freedom.

The DOJ had earlier found ample basis to file the cases against the accused based on the complaint of 43 investors who reportedly lost over P90.9 million in investments.

The special investigating panel chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Edna Valenzuela cited as basis the “paper trail and documentary evidence” pointing to the direct and actual participation of the accused in the Ponzi-like investment scheme.              

Luna has cleared Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co of any knowledge of the investment scheme.

Luna, who surrendered to the authorities, filed an affidavit saying Co had nothing to do with the operations of the company.

Co, who was named respondent in the two other complaints still pending at the DOJ, has not been included in the charges filed by the DOJ even though it was noted in the complaint that he had caused the issuance of a business permit to Aman.

Co, distancing himself as an associate of Aman incorporators, also filed a separate complaint against the Aman group and its officers, saying he and his family were also duped of over P41 million, including roll-over interest. – With Sandy Araneta, Roel Pareño