NBI seeks arrest of Aman boss in Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines - The government is seeking the return to the country of Manuel Amalilio, the head of Aman Futures Trading Inc., who is now considered a fugitive after a court ordered his arrest.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it is seeking the aid of foreign authorities in arresting Amalilio, who is reportedly in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.

The Pagadian City court had ordered the arrest of Amililio over the P12-billion investment scam that duped 15,000 people from the Visayas and Mindanao.

“We are now preparing a request to have Amalilio included in the Interpol’s red notice list,” NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Services Virgilio Mendez said.

Mendez explained a red notice in the Interpol allows the provisional arrest of wanted persons who are set for extradition.

Mendez said they might invoke the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in order to bring Amalilio back to the country.

Mendez added they would also hunt down Dharwin Wenceslao, another officer of Aman ordered arrested by the Pagadian Regional Trial Court Branch 20 for the syndicated estafa cases filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) last week.

Aman president Fernando Luna, his wife Nimfa and five board members of the trading firm – Lelian Lim Gan, Eduardo Lim, Wilanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez and Lurix Lopez – as well as Aman manager Dona Coyme are already in the custody of the NBI.

They have all cooperated with the preliminary investigation conducted by the DOJ.

A special panel is still determining their respective qualifications as possible state witnesses.