DOJ OKs new case vs Amalilio, ex-mayor

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved the filing of another syndicated estafa case against alleged pyramiding scam boss Manuel Amalilio, former Pagadian City mayor Samuel Co, and several others tagged in the P12-billion investment scam involving Aman Futures.

The special panel of prosecutors chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Edna Valenzuela found probable cause in the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and three investors – businessman Samsodin Ala, fire officer Fabian Tapayan Jr. and government employee Norolhaya Taha.

“Under the foregoing circumstance, it can be deduced that from the beginning, it was never intended by Aman to operate as a legitimate business and that there was never any intent to comply with the promise of high interest rates,” the panel stressed.

The prosecutors said the Aman was organized for a fraudulent purpose and the promise of high interest rates was nothing but a mere sham meant only to entice complainants and other investors.

“Hence, it is clear that fraud and deceit were employed upon complainants to convince them to invest,” they said.

Apart from Amalilio and Co, also named respondents in the new case were Aman president Fernando Luna, his wife Nimfa and the five board members who had earlier cooperated with the probe of the NBI - Leila Lim Gan, Eduard Lim, Willanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez and Lurix Lopez; Aman agents Mohammad Hassan Mackno, Dimasara Jova and Ian Madarang; and Co’s wife, Priscilla Ann.

While the DOJ approved the new syndicated estafa case against Co, it dismissed the complaint for graft against him for lack of jurisdiction.