8 of 38 in investment scam appear at DOJ probe

The five Aman board members – Lelian Lim Gan, Eduardo Lim, Wilanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez and Lurix Lopez – appear before the Department of Justice to subscribe to their affidavits detailing the operations of Aman Futures.

MANILA, Philippines—Only eight out of 38 respondents in the pyramiding scam involving Aman Futures Group Philippines appeared before the Department of Justice (DoJ) Special Panel of Investigators on the first day of its investigation.

Present during Tuesday’s preliminary investigation were Lelian Lim Gan, Eduardo Lim, Wilanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez, Lurix Lopez, Connie Flor Grace Paner, Dhurwen Wenceslao and Marione Paul Paner.

The DoJ Special Panel of Investigators started the investigation with 14 complainants from five separate complaints who became victims of Aman Futures. Panel chair Senior Assistant State Prosecutor (SASP) Edna Valenzuela said the amount involved is P90 million.

Aman Futures Board of Directors members Gan, Lim, Fuentes, Rodriguez, and Lopez, who surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) over the weekend, appeared with their counsel, Atty. Jose Cabatu, Jr.

The five subscribed to their sworn statements executed before the NBI but have yet to submit their counter-affidavits.

Only respondent Isagani Laluna submitted his counter-affidavit. Laluna, however failed to appear during Tuesday’s preliminary investigation but sent message to the panel that he will appear on the second preliminary investigation in Pagadian City on Dec. 5.

Main respondent Malaysian Mohammad Suffian Saaid, also known as Manuel Amalilio, failed to appear before the DOJ.

On the other hand, none of the 14 complainants were present. But Valenzuela said “they are not obliged to appear for Tuesday’s proceedings… this is intended for the respondents to file their counter-affidavits. Complainants may opt to attend or not.”

The panel is composed of 14 members. Valenzuela said to effectively manage the stream of complaints against Aman, they divide the cases among the 14 panel members.

Currently, prosecutors from various areas in Visayas and Mindanao have received a total of 9,644 complaints against Aman.

Valenzuela said, currently they have received only 13 complaints—eight against Aman and five against the Rasuman group, the second pyramiding group being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Also present at the hearing were Special Panel members Asst. State Prosecutors (ASP) Mary Jane Sytat and Josie Christina Dugay, and Prosecution Attorney (PA) Mark Roland Estepa.