Pagadian mayor vows to face Aman scam charges

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -  Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co on Thursday reiterated that the cases against him for his alleged involvement in the multi-billion investment scam of the Aman Futures Group Phils. Inc. were pure harassment.

Co also said he will he will face the allegations against him.

In a long distance telephone interview, Co also expressed sadness that his wife  Pricilla Ann Fernandez Co  is being dragged into the controversy, which he described as a "grand design" by his detractors to discredit him from his political group.

Co, who is in his last term as Pagadian City mayor, is running for congressman in the 2013 midterm elections.

Co maintained that allegations that he conspired in the operation of the investment scam under Manuel Amalilio, chairman of the Aman Futures were mere concoctions by his detractors.

“It is next to impossible for me to be an incorporator or even an agent and entice people. If that is true,  I would have gathered people by the thousands,” Co said, adding that he and his wife were also defrauded by Aman Futures.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), based on the affidavits of some complainants, filed charges of syndicated estafa against Co and his wife as accomplices of Aman  Futures management.

Other respondents named in the complaint were Amalilio and five members of the Aman board of directors who had surrendered to the NBI – Leila Lim Gan, Eduard Lim, Willanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez and Lurix Lopez.

A sixth member of the Aman board, Fernando Luna, and agents Mohammad Hassan Mackno and Dimasara Jova, and Co’s trusted aid Ian Madarang were also included in the charge sheet.

“I will not run away,” Co said upon learning he was reportedly placed under immigration watch list.

On the other hand, Zamboanga Sur Gov. Antonio Cerilles believed Co’s involvement  in the scam, citing pieces of evidence and credibility of the investigation bureau.

He said the incident served as a lesson to the local government leaders, who should exercise due diligence and prudence before endorsing or supporting any investment scheme.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) was also investigating the alleged investments of some local government units in the province using their internal allotment revenue (IRA).