Gov’t revives bid to get Amalilio

MANILA, Philippines - The government has revived its bid for an earlier return of businessman Manuel Amalilio to the country from Malaysia to face trial for duping thousands of investors in the multibillion-peso Aman Futures Group Phils. Inc. scam.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday said she would meet with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on the extradition of Amalilio, which was called off last month following the occupation of a coastal village in Sabah by the Sulu sultanate’s army  in February to stake a territorial claim.

“Now that the situation in Sabah has died down a bit, it might be timely to proceed with the mission to bring back Mr. Amalilio,” De Lima told reporters.

“I need to consult with the secretary of foreign affairs to do it very soon,” she added.

De Lima said the high-level team of her department created specifically for this mission “is ready anytime.”

Citing prudence and after consulting with the DFA, De Lima last month deferred the mission indefinitely because of the volatility of the Sabah situation.

The team, led by Justice Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar was tasked to negotiate with Malaysia for the extradition of Amalilio even before he completes his two-year imprisonment term there for possession of a fake passport.

The team was set to leave last March 12. They were to hand over the formal request for extradition and supplemental request involving the freezing of assets of Amalilio and other forms of assistance.

De Lima said there is an urgent need to work on the forfeiture of Amalilio’s assets both here and in Malaysia.

She said the team would also be working on getting the affidavit of Amalilio, who is currently detained in a Kota Kinabalu jail.

Following Amalilio’s botched deportation to the country last Jan. 25, the Malaysian government moved to freeze his assets there.

Several cases for syndicated estafa have been filed with different trial courts in Mindanao against Amalilio, officers of his firm and their agents, including Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co, who is now a fugitive.