GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) warned residents here anew from getting lured in illegal investment schemes that have proliferated amid the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Lawyer Regner Peneza, head of NBI-Sarangani district office, on Wednesday advised residents to refrain entertaining investment offers from certain entities that promise huge payouts through Ponzi-like schemes.
He said they continually monitor such activities, which were similar to schemes that victimized thousands of residents last year, in the social media.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) already issued several advisories, including cease and desist orders, in the last two months against the “fraudulent” investment activities of the Munificence Ministry and Crowd1 Asia Pacific Inc.
“We already received reports against these activities,” he told reporters.
Peneza said manhunt operations are ongoing against operators of investment scams that victimized residents here and the neighboring areas last year.
He said these include the masterminds of defunct illegal investment schemes operated by the Kapa Community Ministry International Inc., Alabel-Maasim Credit Cooperative (Alamcco), Shantal Marketing, and Munificence.
The official confirmed that they received early this month another warrant of arrest for syndicated estafa against five officials of Munificence issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 47 in Alabel, Sarangani province.
Ordered arrested were alleged Munificence founders and officers Rolando Joseph Jr., Dore Fe Joseph, Onofre Labrador, Brenda Labrador, and Fred Labrador.
Peneza said the warrant of arrest was issued by the court on May 18 and received by the agency on June 5.
He said they have activated special teams to track down and investigate leads regarding the possible whereabouts of the suspects.
“Our teams are currently verifying information regarding their possible location and we have also coordinated with our other units,” he said.
Munificence had operated through an office in Barangay Bula here and sources said some of its officers could still be based somewhere in Region 12 or Soccsksargen.
RTC Branch 46 in Sarangani and Branch 59 here issued arrest warrants last February against officials of Alamcco and Shantal Marketing. Kapa officials have standing warrants of arrest from courts in Cagayan de Oro City and Bislig City, Surigao del Norte.
SEC had flagged these entities for soliciting investments from the public and promising monthly payouts of up to 400 percent through a Ponzi-like scheme.
Since last year, the NBI here already received over 700 complaints from victims of at least 19 investment scams that previously operated in the city and the neighboring areas.
Peneza added that they continually process complaints from victims of investment scams in the area for the filing of formal charges. (PNA)
