DILG moves to make Kapa operations entirely illegal

DAVAO CITY—The government is moving swiftly to render the operations of the religious group Kapa Community Ministry International (Kapa) completely illegal by ordering all local government units in areas where Kapa operates to revoke all licenses or permits issued to the group which had earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte had called Kapa operations a pyramid scam while other officials said the group had pulled off what could be one of the country’s biggest con jobs that was worth nearly P50 billion.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a memorandum order to all its regional offices directing local governments in areas where Kapa operates to strip Kapa of all permits that the group uses to operate legally.

Alex Roldan, DILG Davao regional director, said his office received the order signed by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, dated June 13, which asked all local government units to immediately revoke business permits granted to Kapa and all other questionable money investment schemes operating in their areas.

The order said the DILG was exercising its oversight powers over local officials because it was necessary in light of attempts by Kapa to continue operating in defiance of Duterte’s order to shut it down.

The DILG order also directed mayors of towns and cities to “refrain from issuing business permits” to Kapa, its subsidiaries and related organizations and to “cancel or revoke” all existing permits issued to the groups.

Año said the DILG order was in accordance with a decision by the Securities and Exchange Commission to revoke Kapa’s certificate of registration “for serious misrepresentation” and Duterte’s order to the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation to clamp down on Kapa.

Roldan said any local official who would refuse to enforce the DILG order would answer to Duterte, who is known for using expletives against local officials he deemed corrupt or nonperforming.