Early gun ban eyed in pyramiding scam-hit areas

MANILA, Philippines - Election and security officials are meeting next week to map out plans for the early imposition of a total gun ban in the multi-billion pyramiding scam-affected areas in Mindanao, a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official bared Thursday.

“We will considering that because you know the victims of this pyramid are all throughout Mindanao and even here in Luzon. So with this, we are planning to have this gun ban implemented as early as possible in those affected areas because the situation is volatile,” said Comelec Commissioner Elias Yusoph in an ambush interview at the launching of the 20th Defense and Sporting Arms Show-Park 2 at the Mall of Asia.

Angry victims who lost their hard-earned money to the scam have been monitored to be going after the neck of their agents who duped them.

Normally, Comelec enforces a nationwide election gun ban three months before and three months after the day of the election.

Yusoph said that areas being eyed to be placed under total gun ban ahead ,in connection with the forthcoming mid-term elections are those in Zamboanga Peninsula, including the Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte and two Zamboanga provinces and key cities like Pagadian and Marawi.

He pointed out that the volatile security situation in these provinces spawned by the multi-billion pyramiding scam has already translated into a serious election threat next year.

“We will be having a command conference in preparation of the implementation [(of total gun ban] by December 5,” Yusoph said.

He added the December 5 implementation of the total gun ban would be discussed thoroughly during the joint command Comelec-police-military conference next week.

When enforced, Yusoph said persons who would only be authorized to bear, carry, and transport firearms and deadly weapons are regular members and officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines and members of government agencies performing law enforcement and security functions.

The government had made appeals to the victims of the multi-billion peso pyramiding scam not to take the law into their own hands when dealing with the suspects.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte made the call following the murder of an insurance agent and an arson case in Zamboanga del Sur, both incidents were linked to the financial scam perpetrated by Amam Futures.

About 15,000 individuals, some of them members of the uniformed services have reportedly invested about P12 billion in Aman.

Government security forces are currently hunting the main suspects behind the scam, including Aman president, Manuel Amalilio and Fernando “Nonoy” Luna, head of the Aman operations in Pagadian City, where most of the victims came from.