De Lima: Phl authorities have access to Amalilio

MANILA, Philippines - Investors duped by Manuel Amalilio will no longer have to wait for his return to the country from a two-year incarceration in Malaysia for their quest for justice to prosper.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima confirmed yesterday that the Malaysian government has agreed to allow Philippine authorities access to Amalilio, now in a Kota Kinabalu jail for possession of a fake passport.

“There are discussions on how our prosecutors can access Mr. Amalilio while in jail. Since we cannot physically bring him back yet, at least we can have access with him for purposes of the ongoing court proceedings here,” she said.

De Lima explained that Amalilio’s answer would be necessary in the multiple complaints of syndicated estafa filed against him and officers of Aman Futures Group Phils. Inc. by disgruntled investors from the Visayas and Mindanao.

She said access to the Aman head would especially be helpful in the pending preliminary investigation in the Department of Justice (DOJ) of dozens of complaints.

Only two initial sets of cases have been filed so far by the DOJ against Amalilio and his officers, who reportedly all want to become state witnesses.

De Lima bared the possibility that Amalilio will be extradited to the country in March next year after serving 15 months as suggested by Tan Sri Gani Patail, attorney general of the Malaysian parliament, in a meeting last Feb. 6 with a Philippine contingent led by Justice Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar and Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Ed Malaya.

“We were made to understand that Mr. Amalilio just needs to serve a fraction of his two-year jail term. They mentioned about 15 months instead of two years. But I think that is still subject to negotiation so perhaps we can ask the Malaysian government to further shorten that period,” she said, admitting that the information was good news.

In the same meeting, the attorney general made sure that Amalilio would be available once his extradition is set.

De Lima explained that a mutual legal assistance treaty would no longer be necessary since Malaysian laws provide for extradition of criminals wanted abroad for as long as legal requirements are met.  – With Jigger Jerusalem