Five employees of firm allegedly involved in investment scam arrested in Bukidnon

July 26, 2019

Five employees of a company allegedly involved in an investment scam were arrested in law enforcement operations by authorities in Bukidnon Thursday afternoon.

The suspects were arrested in simultaneous implementation of search warrants by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 10 with the regional police at the vicinity of Brgy 4, Malaybalay City; Brgy. Poblacion Hagkol, Valencia City and Purok 5, North Poblacion, Maramag, Bukidnon.

In a report, the regional CIDG office  identified the arrested suspects as Emeliana Fernandez, 39, Enie Oliquino, 37, John Lister Pacunayen,26, Ojelyn Busbos, 22 and Merlyn Perez, 30. All are  employees of JA Mining Ventures.

The report said “search warrants were applied after days of case build up which stemmed from a confidential informant that the firm is operating similarly to other investment scam firms that were raided by the PNP.”

Recovered during the operations were 552 pieces of blank certificate of investment forms, 800 pieces of acknowledgement receipt forms with names of investors , cash amounting to P 612, 903.00, 30 pieces of special power of attorney, one laptop computer, one desktop computer, six cellular phones, three printer, two bill counter machine, two Hikvision black box for CCTV, two flat screen TV for CCTV monitor , and voluminous documents and paraphernalia intended and used for investment scam operation.

The confiscated items were brought to CIDG Bukidnon provincial field unit office for proper disposition.

“Cases for Violation of Sec 8 and 12 in relation to Sec 73 of RA 8799 (Securities Regulation Code) are being prepared for immediate referral to the prosecutor office,” the report said. Robina Asido/DMS