MANILA: The Malaysian head of a trading firm that allegedly duped thousands of middle class investors in Mindanao has fled to his home country, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, meanwhile, ordered a formal investigation into the get-rich-quick scam of the Aman Futures Group, and sought the filing of a case in court by yearend.
NBI deputy director for regional operations services Virgilio Mendez said Aman president Manuel Amalilio is already in Kota Kinabalu.
“It is confirmed. He’s in Kota Kinabalu,” Mendez told the media last night during a press briefing at the NBI headquarters.
“We are now focused in gathering the documentary evidence and entertain all the complaints. We are just waiting for the issuance of the warrants because the complaint has already been filed before the Prosecutor’s Office in Pagadian several weeks ago, but the process is quite long,” Mendez added.
The prosecutor’s office had to send subpoenas’ to the subjects. He said it would take time, as these were sent in different areas like Manila, Cebu, and Pagadian.
Earlier Mendez met with President Aquino, De Lima and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas in Malacañang. He said the President’s specific instruction to him was to fast-track the investigation.
“Amalilio is the only one out of the country. The others, the Filipinos, are still in the country,” he said.
Mendez said De Lima had ordered the NBI to file syndicated estafa cases against Aman Futures officers namely its president Manuel K Amalilio, and board members Fernando “Nonoy” R Luna, Lelian Lim Gan, Edward L Lim, William L Fuentes, Naezelle M Rodriguez and Lurix Lopez.
He said the one of the plans of Aman Futures was to put up the so-called Aman Air, an airline company.
“We received information that they have eight small airplanes,” he said.
The Philippine star
