Malaysian court frees Aman Futures boss Amalilio

MANILA, Philippines — A Malaysian court has acquitted Manuel Amalilio, alleged mastermind of a P12-billion investment scam, and rejected the request for him to be extradited to the Philippines.

The Borneo Post said in a report that Amalilio, whose Malaysian name is Mohammad Kamal Sa'aid, was ordered released Tuesday by a Kota Kinabalu court after being cleared from charges as a fugitive criminal in custody.

Judge Ainul Shahrin Mohammad ruled in favor of Amalilio after a "representation" by his family to the Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs, citing Section 47 of the Extradition Act of 1992, the report said.

In the Philippines, Amalilio is wanted for syndicated estafa for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme through his company, Aman Futures Group, that fooled at least 15,000 Filipino victims.

After fleeing to Sabah in 2012, Amalilio was arrested and charged in Malaysia in 2013 for possessing a Philippine passport and sentenced to a two-year imprisonment.

Malaysia had vowed that it would cooperate with the Philippines to return Amalilio to Manila in reaction to criticisms that it has been harboring the Filipino fugitive.

Malacañang also vowed to work on Amalilio's repatriation after Malaysian authorities, particularly Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman blocked his deportation led by National Bureau of Investigation agents in 2013.

STAR columnist Jarius Bondoc reported that Amalilio is a direct nephew of Musa.