Joselito Malig

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Article (news)

THUMBNAIL-JAIL

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — A Filipino linked to a multibillion-peso investment scam has been repatriated to the country after being arrested in Indonesia.The Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) said Hector Pantollana arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport early Thursday morning.He was arrested at the Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali while attempting to board a flight to Hong Kong on November 9.Pantollana was also issued a red notice by the International Police.“Nagtago siya roon [Indonesia],” PNP CIDG chief Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III told reporters during a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City.“Since last year pa ito na mga warrant at naabutan natin siya sa Indonesia. With the help of the Indonesian Police, we were able to arrest and have him extradited,” he added.Shortly after his arrival in Manila, Pantollana was issued 15 warrants of arrest for multiple charges of estafa and syndicated estafa.Torre said Pantollana’a group has “several covers” for their operations.“May networking, may junkets and all the works. Basically, they were able to convince people to invest their hard earned money in various businesses na sabi high yields, high returns,” he said.The police official noted, Pantollana’s group has victimized hundreds of investors, including overseas Filipino workers and well-known personalities.One of the victims, alias Aida, shared that the suspects amassed P315 million from their group alone. They started investing in the operations in 2022, she added.“Kaya kami nakumbinsi na magjoin kasi sa pagkakaalam namin, legal po. Pinapapunta kami sa junket house… Kami, buo ang tiwala namin, nag-invest kami. Only later did we find out na Ponzi scheme na pala. Nag-invest kami sa kanila nang dire-diretso, Yun pala, ang iniinvest namin, ginamit pangbayad ng mga interest na pinangako nila buwan-buwan,” Aida said.She went on, “Nabigla kami September last year, hindi na nila maibabalik ang pera, hanggang sa hindi na kami kinakausap, pinagtataguan na kami, wala na kaming balita hanggang sa nalaman namin lahat sila nag-abroad na. Unang nag-abroad si Hector Pantollana, sumunod ang cohorts niya.”Pantollana declined to comment on the cases filed against him.Torre, meanwhile, warned the public anew against investment offers that seem too good to be true.“Yeah, most likely siya [Pantollana] ang head at marami ang nagtuturo at indicators na nagsasabi na siya talaga ang puno’t dulo ng lahat ng ito. May mga satellite ito na umaandar na sa tingin namin hanggang ngayon ay tumatakbo pa, kaya I am taking this opportunity, taking this time to warn the public na kapag meron nagbigay sa inyo diyan at minention ang pangalan nito or iba pang mga pangalan na magbibigay ng 15 to 20 percent monthly na interest, huwag na kayong sumali at mawawala lang ang pera niyo,” Torre told the public.Pantollana is currently detained at the Anti-Organized Crime Unit (AOCU) facility in Camp Crame.

A Filipino linked to a multibillion-peso investment scam has been repatriated to the country after being arrested in Indonesia.

A Filipino linked to a multibillion-peso investment scam has been repatriated to the country after being arrested in Indonesia.

Filipino linked to multibillion-peso scam brought back in PH

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Filipino linked to multibillion-peso scam brought back in PH

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 28, 2024 07:47 PM PHT

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Philippine National Police

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group

estafa

ABSNews

PNP

CIDG

scam

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