Pastrana Foundation refutes pension racket charges

A foundation assisting in the processing of claims of World War II Filipino guerrillas and soldiers, has denied charges that it is involved in a fake pension scheme.

In a telephone interview, Vivian Andrada, of the board of trustees of the Pastrana Foundation, refuted an allegation by some 4,200 complainants made to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that the foundation is involved in illegal activities.

Andrada said that contrary to the allegation of Teresita Dimaandal, spokeswoman of the alleged victims, the foundation is not collecting P3,500 a month from its prospective members.

"There is no truth to the allegation that we are collecting P3,500 a month. We only collect a one-time P1,500 lifetime membership fee from whoever wishes to join our foundation," Andrada said.

Andrada said that the collected amounts are then pooled to serve as funding for the foundation’s operational expenses.

According to Andrada, the Pastrana Foundation was established in 1999 and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the children of World War II veterans and guerrillas to provide legal and other forms of assistance to families of other veterans with pending claims or applications with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office.

Dimaandal along with some 60 alleged victims of the foundation’s alleged illegal pension scheme in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, trooped to the NBI’s Anti-Fraud and Compute Crimes Division and lodged a complaint against Rene Siguiran, the foundation’s president.

According to the complainants, Siguiran, allegedly claimed that he is connected with the Pastrana Foundation and that the foundation is allegedly "connected" with the PVAO and the Social Security System.

Siguiran allegedly told his victims that he could expedite their veterans benefit claims in exchange for a monthly P3,500 "contribution."

The complainants added that after a year, Siguiran promised them guaranteed pensions.

According to the complainants, they became suspicious and sought the help of the NBI after Siguiran allegedly folded up his operations in Tuguegarao.

But according to Andrada, Siguiran has not gone into hiding. She also denied the allegation that their Tuguegarao office has closed shop.

Andrada said that their Tuguegarao office, which was set-up only last June 8, is still very much involved in the "recalling" of war veterans. "Recalling" is the term used by the foundation in gathering the names of veterans and their beneficiaries, through announcements, who are interested in joining the foundation, Andrada said.

As these developed, Andrada turned the tables on Dimaandal and accused her of allegedly being one of those who duped the estimated 4,200 victims, mostly farmers from Tuguegarao.

According to Andrada, a certain Pastor Dimaandal, formerly a "contact officer" of the foundation, was given "authority to recall" by the foundation in Tuguegarao. But Pastor was later booted from the foundation after he allegedly collected more than the required P1,500 "membership" fee. Charges were filed against him. – Mike Frialde