NBI has witness in P12-B pyramiding scam

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said that an official of the pyramiding investment firm Aman Futures Philippines Inc. is now under the protective custod of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

De Lima said that Donnay Coyme, financial manager of the pyramiding firm, has assured cooperation in the investigation being conducted by the government.

She added that Coyme is willing to disclose the firm's "modus operandi" in the controversial pyramiding scam amounting to at least P12 billion, which were taken from unsuspecting victims from Visayas and Mindanao.

De Lima said that the Department of Justice is now assessing very carefully the affidavit of Coyme whether she can be placed under the government's Witness Protection Program (WPP) or use as a state witness.

Coyme earlier said that she had processed at least P500 million from the company's investors. She claimed that she was a former tutor of the children of Fernando Luna, who is one of the officials of Aman Futures.

She said that her work was to release checks from Aman Futures and arrange the records of the investors.

De Lima, meanwhile, said that the DOJ is already preparing the next move against the two leaders of the controversial Aman Futures and the Rasuman Group.

She said that the DOJ and th NBI will request for the freezing of the assets of Manuel Amalilio of Aman Futures and Coco Rasuman of Rasuman Group.

De Lima said that the criminal charges against Amalilio and Rasuman will be filed in court soon.