Aman officers, investors to face off in Pagadian

MANILA, Philippines - The officers of Aman Futures Group and victims of a P12-billion investment scam will meet for the first time next week.

Prosecutor General Claro Arellano confirmed yesterday that a special panel of the Department of Justice (DOJ) handling the syndicated estafa complaints against Aman Futures set the preliminary investigation in Pagadian City on Dec. 17.

Aman board member Fernando Luna is expected to appear and submit his counter-affidavit along with agents of the firm who were named respondents in the case.

The investors who filed the complaints were notified about the hearing and are expected to observe the proceedings.

It will be the second hearing of the case. The first was held at the DOJ office in Manila last Nov. 27. Five board members – Leila Lim Gan, Eduard Lim, Willanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez and Lurix Lopez – appeared and submitted their affidavits detailing their respective roles in the Ponzi-type scheme employed by the firm owned by Manuel Amalilio, who is hiding in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.

The second hearing was initially set last Dec. 5, but postponed due to bad  weather brought about by super typhoon “Pablo.”

The DOJ has received at least 15 sets of complaints against Aman Futures.