Pyramid of violence
The family and bodyguard of Dr. Rico Medina, who last Monday night narrowly escaped an ambush in barangay Labangon, Cebu City, can’t exhale with relief yet.
Whoever wanted them exterminated is dead serious. At least three cars were used for what police said appears to be a kidnapping attempt or worse. The culprits are still out there.
The incident appears to be another dark turn in the P12 billion Aman Futures Group Phils Inc. scam in which the doctor was an investor. The scam saw thousands of investors losing their nest eggs to a pyramid scheme.
Medina, his wife and their son, and his body were luckier than retired school supervisor Cristituto Potayre of Pagadian City, who late last year committed suicide after learning that he had lost P300,000 to Aman.
The doctor’s wealth is cold comfort considering the perpetrators are still at large.
Dr. Medina’s only fault that could draw murderous reprisal appears to be the fact that he dared confront Aman honcho Manuel Amalilio, as he had every right to.
Does this mean that Amalilio is more than just a conman? That he can, from behind bars in neighboring Malaysia, send bullets after those who seek redress from him in Philippine courts?
If the answer is yes, the police should work double time to round up those who tried to shoot down Dr. Medina and his family.
The goons have shown how bold and cold-blooded they are, implementing their attempt in spite of the presence of the Medina bodyguard.
These assailants could very well be the same hit squad that will intimidate or hunt down the families of those who sued Amalilio, which could include men in uniform and others who in desperation may take the law into their own hands and use their own guns in self-defense.
Note that at least one Aman sales agent was gunned down in the past year. The homes of kinfolk of the Aman Futures manager have been torched.
Police must stop the cycle of violence connected to this scam by jailing Amalilio’s violent cohorts, exhorting victims to restraint, and above all working with the Philippine justice system to make sure that after or even before the conman serves time for his offenses against Malaysia, he will be made to face charges against him in our own courts of law.
