3 ranking Soccsksargen cops relieved over P2 billion investment scam

MANILA, Philippines — Three ranking officers of the Soccsksargen police were relieved from their posts over their alleged involvement in an investment scam that reportedly raked in P2 billion.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said he directed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde to relieve the three police officers from their posts to ensure impartiality in the probe.

Lt. Col. Aldrin Gonzales, spokesperson of the Soccsksargen Police Regional Office (PRO), identified the relieved officers as Col. Manuel Lukban, chief of directorial staff of the Soccsksargen PRO; Col. Raul Supiter, director of the General Santos City Police Station, and Lt. Col. Henry Biñas, deputy city director for the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit.

Año said he has also ordered the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to investigate the Police Paluwagan Movement (PPM) scam, which was allegedly being run by the three officers and some uniformed and non-uniformed personnel of the General Santos City police.

The scam has allegedly victimized other police officers and some of their relatives and friends, according to the DILG.

“Ako’y nababahala sa balitang ito. Mga pulis, kabilang ang ilang matataas na ranggong pulis, ang umano’y nagpapatakbo ng investment scam. Inaatasan ko si PNP Chief Albayalde at ang CIDG na agad itong imbestigahan at aksyunan nang wala ng mabiktima pa at para managot ang maysala sa batas,” Año said in a statement.

[I am alarmed at this news. Policemen, including those high-ranking police officers, are allegedly running an investment scam. I have directed PNP Chief Albayalde and the CIDG to immediately investigate this and take action so that they will not be able to victimize anyone else and so that the guilty will be held liable to the law.]

According to Brig. Gen. Eliseo Rasco, director of the Soccsksargen PRO, the scam has attracted prosecutors, judges, entrepreneurs, and other civilians due to “very tempting big interest offered by the group.”

The group allegedly offers 60 percent interest rate for every 15 days to the money invested by the victims.

The three officers have allegedly acquired multiple assets in just a few months of allegedly operating the PPM, the DILG said. They have allegedly issued checks that cannot be encashed due to insufficiency of funds in the bank accounts of the PPM.

“I want the other regions to know of this scam so that they do not fall prey to a similar scheme. Let this serve as a warning to them that the DILG-PNP will not tolerate any wrongdoing among our ranks,” Año said.  /muf /atm