‘Filipino’ gunmen captured in Malaysia – police

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Feb 132013
 
‘Filipino’ gunmen captured in Malaysia – police

1:09 pm | Thursday, February 14th, 2013 KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian security forces have captured a group of “foreigners with firearms” believed to be militants from the southern Philippines, police said on Thursday. State news agency Bernama cited unidentified police sources as saying the group was made up of more than 100 men in military fatigues, but police have not publicly confirmed that report. National police chief Ismail Omar said in a statement late on Wednesday that the gunmen intruded on Malaysian soil in the state of Sabah on Borneo island, a region with a history of incidents involving armed Filipino groups. “This intrusion is a result of the problems in the southern Philippines,” Ismail said in an apparent reference to Muslim insurgents and other lawlessness in the southern Philippines, which lies just across the Sulu Sea from Sabah. Malaysia is predominantly Muslim. Ismail said security forces surrounded and ordered the gunmen to surrender in the Malaysian coastal town of Lahad Datu. His statement made no mention of how many people were involved. “They’ve surrendered, but as for the number, I really have no info for now,” said a police spokesman contacted by AFP on Thursday. Sabah’s eastern tip is less than an hour by speedboat from the nearest Philippine islands. In October, Manila reached a framework agreement with the southern Philippines’ main Muslim separatist group aimed at ending a decades-long insurgency that has left more than 150,000 people dead. In 2000, a Philippine militant group seized 21 mostly Western Read More …

Malaysia in Borneo standoff with armed intruders

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Feb 132013
 
Malaysia in Borneo standoff with armed intruders

Associated Press 9:31 am | Thursday, February 14th, 2013 KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian police say an armed group believed to be from the southern Philippines has intruded into Malaysian territory on Borneo island. National police chief Ismail Omar says security forces have surrounded the intruders in the remote coastal district of Lahad Datu in Malaysia’s eastern Sabah state and ordered them to surrender their weapons. Ismail’s statement late Wednesday did not disclose the number of suspects or how they were armed. Sabah is less than an hour by speedboat from the southern Philippines, which has long been wracked by a Muslim separatist insurgency. Ismail said the group landed in Sabah on Tuesday following “troubles in the southern Philippines.” Other police representatives in Kuala Lumpur and Sabah said they could not elaborate beyond the statement.

DOJ lawyers to start process of Amalilio extradition

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Feb 102013
 
DOJ lawyers to start process of Amalilio extradition

By TJ Burgonio Philippine Daily Inquirer 6:28 pm | Sunday, February 10th, 2013 MANUEL AMALILIO Contributed photo MANILA, Philippines – Lawyers from the Department of Justice would fly to Malaysia to formally start the process of extraditing Manuel Amalilio for allegedly swindling 15 million Filipinos of P12 billion in an investment scam, Malacañang said Sunday. Undersecretary Abigail Valte, deputy presidential spokesperson, debunked reports quoting Malaysian officials as saying that Kuala Lumpur would not extradite Amalilio since he is a Malaysian citizen. “That’s inaccurate because first of all our state counsels from the DOJ were about to go [to Malaysia] to formally start the extradition process,’’ Valte said over government-run dzRB. Even though Malaysia has no extradition treaty with the Philippines, Malaysian law allows extradition under “certain processes,’’ Valte pointed out. In a statement in Malaysia’s Star newspaper Saturday, Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail said Malaysia would not extradite Amalilio, aka Mohammad Kamal, because he is a Malaysian citizen holding a valid and active identification card. Gani said that the Attorney General’s Chambers had received a formal request from the Philippines’ Department of Justice to hand over Amalilio to the Philippines under the Asean Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, and freeze his asset. A team of Philippine law enforcers was about to board a plane to Manila with the fugitive on Jan. 25 when they were stopped by senior Malaysian police officials. Amalilio was returned to police custody and subsequently convicted and sentenced for fraud by a Kota Kinabalu court. Quoting Read More …

DOJ counsel heading to Malaysia for Amalilio extradition

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Feb 092013
 
DOJ counsel heading to Malaysia for Amalilio extradition

(Updated 5:14 p.m.) Philippine government lawyers are heading to Malaysia to start formal efforts for the extradition of Manuel Amalilio, the alleged brains behind a P12-billion investment scam, Malacañang said Sunday. “Kahit wala tayong extradition treaty with Malaysia, Malaysian law allows extradition under certain [circumstances],” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. In a separate interview on Sunday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima denied reports that Malaysia had turned down the Philippines’ request for Amalilio’s extradition. “It was in fact among the outcomes of the February 6 talks with our counterpart, the Attorney General, that the Philippines can commence the extradition process immediately,” she said. Amalilio’s extradition does not answer the question of his citizenship, de Lima added. “We made a formal request for such freezing of Amalilio’s assets, such as company shares, stocks, land assets, etc., under the ASEAN Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty… and in such a process, we understand that Amalilio’s citizenship is not an issue, and both sides can cooperate,” she said. Amalilio was arrested in Malaysia last January for possession of a fake passport. He pleaded guilty to violating Malaysian passport laws and was sentenced to two years’ jail there. Last weekend, Malaysian authorities said they have ordered Amalilio’s assets frozen. On the other hand, two members of Malaysia’s Parliament visited the Philippines last weekend to gather facts about Amalilio. They also hinted the loot from his scam may be used to finance the campaigns of some politicians running in Malaysia’s coming elections. Read More …

Malaysia says it’s keeping Amalilio

 News
Feb 092013
 
Malaysia says it’s keeping Amalilio

By Jerome Aning Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:03 am | Sunday, February 10th, 2013 MANUEL AMALILIO. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Malaysia has no plans to extradite Manuel Karingal Amalilio (aka Mohammad Kamal Sa’ad), who is wanted by Philippine authorities for allegedly swindling 15,000 Filipinos of P12 billion in a fraudulent investment scheme, but who has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a Sabah court for possession of a fake Philippine passport. In a statement reported in Malaysia’s Star newspaper on Saturday, Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail said Malaysia would not extradite “Mohammad Kamal” since he is a Malaysian citizen holding a valid and active identification card. However, relevant authorities have been directed to check and freeze all financial records and assets belonging to Amalilio and his associates, the Star quoted Gani as saying. In the same statement, Gani said the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur had requested  Amalilio’s extradition. He said Philippine Justice Undersecretary Jose Vincent B. Salazar had also requested that the Malaysian government freeze Amalilio’s assets, savings and investments and those owned by people related to him. He also said that the Attorney General’s Chambers had received a formal request from the Philippines’ Department of Justice to hand over Amalilio to the Philippines under the Asean Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act of 2004. Separate court Gani said the request was being handled by the international affairs division of the Attorney General’s Chambers, a separate court for the states of Sabah and Sarawak which deals with civil law matters Read More …

Respondent in Aman Futures case wants to be state witness

 News
Feb 072013
 
Respondent in Aman Futures case wants to be state witness

A respondent in the syndicated estafa cases filed against officials of the Aman Futures Group Philippines on Thursday asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to be formally admitted as state witness in the case. Donna Coyme told a DOJ preliminary investigation that she is ready to divulge whatever she knows about the company and its founder, Manuel Amalilio. During the proceedings, Coyme denied being an officer of the Aman Futures Group. “Investor lang po ako dun. Napagkamalan lang po ako na officer kasi araw-araw po ako nandun sa mga Luna, dahil tutor ako ng mga anak nila,” she told the DOJ panel, referring to company president Fernando Luna and his wife Nimfa. “I have an idea of what was going on because I was in their (Lunas’) house every day,” she added when asked on what her possible testimony will be about. She also said she never saw Pagadian Mayor Samuel Co, another respondent in the case, in the Aman Futures office. Coyme said the company used the Lunas’ house as its headquarters. Her statement ran contrary to Mr. Luna’s claim that he was just Amalilio’s driver who was asked to stand as company president. Amalilio is currently serving a two-year sentence in Malaysia after he was caught in possession of a fraudulent passport and ID. He went to Malaysia after news broke out of his firm’s alleged illegal activity. Aman Futures is accused of defrauding thousands of investors through a so-called “Ponzi Scheme,” in which the firm misrepresents itself Read More …

Palace: Efforts to bring home to PHL Aman Futures boss continue

 News
Feb 012013
 
Palace: Efforts to bring home to PHL Aman Futures boss continue

Malacañang on Saturday said efforts are still being undertaken to bring home Manuel Amalilio, the suspected brains behind a P12-billion investment pyramiding scam, amid rumors that he was a nephew of a top official of Sabah. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace has yet to verify the supposed ties between Amalilio and the chief minister of Sabah’s Chief Minister Musa Aman. “We don’t have any verification to that effect, but only the assurance the Philippine side will continue to work with local police authorities for his deportation to the country,” she said on government-run dzRB radio. When asked what the government will do if Amalilio is indeed related to Aman, Valte said, “we don’t at this point want to speculate on that particular allegation.” She declined to comment further on the supposed ties of Amalilio to Aman, saying she would defer to the Justice, Foreign Affairs and Interior departments.  The Philippines will continue working with local authorities “to do whatever we can to ensure his return,” she added. “As far as we are concerned, we submitted all the documentation required primarily to prove Amalilio is a Filipino citizen,” she added. On Saturday, a report on The Philippine Star had quoted Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as saying Amalilio is a nephew of Aman.  Anwar alleged that Amalilio’s mother is Musa’s first cousin, and that Amalilio’s real name is Kamal bin Said, born in Beaufort, Sabah. However, Anwar was also quoted as saying Amalilio is married to a Filipina, Read More …

DOJ: Aman Futures boss Manuel Amalilio also facing complaints in Malaysia

 News
Jan 272013
 
DOJ: Aman Futures boss Manuel Amalilio also facing complaints in Malaysia

Pending complaints in Malaysia are preventing the return of Aman Futures boss Manuel Amalilio to the Philippines, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said over the weekend. De Lima said the complaints prompted Malaysian authorities to hold Amalilio and not allow his return home, radio dzBB reported early Monday. “Hinold lang muna ng Malaysian authorities si Mr. Amalilio. May lumutang na local complainants so they have to address those complaints first bago i-turnover sa atin,” De Lima said. The Justice Deparment had said that Amalilio is a Filipino and not a Malaysian national.  Last Friday, National Bureau of Investigation agents who went to fetch Amalilio returned home empty-handed after the Malaysian authorities did not turn him over to them at the last minute. De Lima said it was not immediately clear if those who filed complaints against Amalilio in Malaysia were Filipinos or Malaysians. She said that while the Philippine government is serious in getting him home, it has to respect the processes in Malaysia also. “We are serious in our effort ibalik siya rito pero dapat galangin din natin ang proseso sa Malaysia,” she said. Last weekend, Malacañang reassured the public the appropriate government agencies are making efforts to facilitate the return to the Philippines of Amalilio. Amalilio, whose firm was linked to a P12-billion investment pyramiding scam, was arrested in Malaysia for possession of a fraudulent Malaysian passport and IDs. — RSJ, GMA News

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