Victims ransack office of pyramid scam firm

ILIGAN CITY,Philippines – Irate victims of a pyramiding scam ransacked the office of the Aman Futures Group Phils. Inc. in Kawit, Pagadian City and carted away anything they could lay their hands on, including furniture and office equipment, after the company was shut down last Sept. 26.

This was related to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) by a woman who said she processed an estimated P500 million for Aman as office facilitator for the company. The woman, along with another employee, has surfaced, with one of them hoping to turn state witness.

Maria Donna Coyme, one of 38 individuals placed on the “lookout bulletin” of the Bureau of Immigration for suspected involvement in the scam, submitted an affidavit to the NBI in this city, detailing how she became involved in the activities of Aman Futures. She has been described variously as the company’s finance manager, teller and office facilitator.

One of the top Aman agents, Jacob “Coco” Rasuman, also turned himself in to the Marawi City police, reportedly out of fear for his life.

Coyme’s affidavit, according to the head of the NBI office in Iligan, Alex Caburnay, identified other people who were “deeply involved in the scam.”

Caburnay said the affidavit also detailed Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co’s alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso scam, which victimized thousands of people in several provinces in Mindanao. Co issued a temporary business permit for Aman.

Malacañang officials yesterday urged victims of the scam not to take the law into their own hands, saying authorities were moving to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte gave assurance that government authorities were at work to get those responsible for the scam and no one would be spared, including government officials.

Aman Futures owner Manuel Amalilio has reportedly fled to his home country, Malaysia.

In her affidavit, Coyme said she tutored the children of Fernando and Nimfa Luna. Fernando or Noynoy headed the Aman office in Kawit, Pagadian City and was said to be Amalilio’s right-hand man.

Coyme said that in May, she was asked by Luna to work as financial manager for Aman-Kawit. She said she received cash from investors, delivered proceeds to them and counted cash received for the day.

Caburnay said Coyme’s affidavit also detailed how angry investors threatened to blow up the Kawit office of Aman after it was closed on Sept. 26.

A report on GMA 7’s “24 Oras” said Coyme alleged that Co invested about P30 million in Aman, distributed checks from Amalilio and referred investors to the company.

Assets may be frozen

The NBI said yesterday it was eyeing a freeze on the assets of Aman Futures.

Virgilio Mendez, NBI deputy director for regional operations services, said the asset freeze would be discussed tomorrow with other government agencies.

Three or four members of the Aman board have sent feelers that they want to help the NBI in its probe, Mendez said. He did not identify the four.

Mendez earlier said Amalilio is a Malaysian and not a Filipino-Malaysian.

A document from the NBI, however, showed that Amalilio was born in Tarlac, Tarlac on Aug. 8, 1968, and listed as a Filipino resident of Gov. Camis Avenue in Zamboanga City.

The NBI has been tasked by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to track down Amalilio.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said authorities have already requested assistance from the Malaysian embassy in finding Amalilio.

She said the NBI-Interpol is coordinating with their Malaysian counterparts to take Amalilio in custody.

“In addition, the DOJ’s legal staff is now working on the possible invocation of ASEAN-MLAT (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty),” De Lima said. – Lino de la Cruz, Aurea Calica, Sandy Araneta