Investors restive, says Lanao Sur police chief

MARAWI CITY—Violence could explode any time in Lanao del Sur, including this city, as people who invested and lost money in the so-called Rasuman financial scheme are getting restive, authorities said yesterday.

Senior Supt. Romeo Magsalos, Lanao del Sur police chief, on Monday told the Inquirer after the meeting called by the provincial crisis management committee that the situation in the province and in this city appeared to be calm but was actually boiling underneath.

“Civil disobedience may occur if Coco Rasuman will not be able to comply with his promise to his investors,” Magsalos warned.

Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. agreed with Magsalos. He said this was the same reason he was asking Malacañang to order the deployment of more soldiers and policemen in the province and in this city, where Rasuman was being held.

Although no formal charges had been brought up against him yet, Rasuman’s movement was being restricted and is now holed up in his house.

Soldiers and policemen were also securing him from investors, who might become violent.

“I am appealing for more soldiers and policemen because this problem could prove to be too hot to handle. This now involved the entire Maranaw society because of the kamag-anak system. Others might have not invested but they have relatives who lost money,” Adiong said.

Maranaws are clannish and have the reputation of coming to the rescue of a relative in distress.

During the meeting with Rasuman investors, Adiong called for calm but he later told the Inquirer that he was anticipating the situation to become ugly.

“The request for augmentation of force is in anticipation of the worst. The situation in Marawi City (and Lanao del Sur) is different from Pagadian City and Ozamiz City,” he said.

Brig. Gen Daniel Lucero, commander of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, said soldiers were ready against any security threat.

He defended the deployment of soldiers around Rasuman’s house, saying the military wanted to ensure his safety so he could resolve the problem that he started.

“He is considered the goose that lays the golden egg,” Lucero said.

Danny Dimaporo of the provincial crisis management committee said that as of Aug. 21, a total of 323 claims against Rasuman, amounting to nearly P1.13 billion, had been recorded.

He said provincial officials were hoping that Rasuman would indeed pay his investors of the principal amount they had invested in his scheme.

“Coco Rasuman promised through an agreement with the investors that he will pay them by Feb. 28, 2013,” Adiong said, adding that he was hoping it would indeed happen.