MARIVELES, Bataan — The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) on Wednesday denied any involvement in an investment scam after six victims reported that they were lured into investing or financing almost P20 million in a construction business in the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) in this town.
Eliza Calimag, AFAB corporate affairs department head, said they have received reports of individuals asking funds from persons to finance certain projects at FAB. She said some of the victims are workers in one of the companies in the freeport.
“Categorically, pinabubulaanan ng authority ang anomang involvement namin o ng opisina namin sa mga ganyang proyekto , ng ganyang aktibidades,” she said.
Calimag said funds for projects of AFAB come from the national government and some from the revenues of the authority itself. “So, no way na sisingil kami ng kahit ano sa mga ordinary mamamayan. Hindi pwedeng mangyari yon,” she said.
Calimag explained that projects of AFAB pass through procurement process and laws strictly prescribed that contractors should have the capacity technically and financially to implement the project aside from being legitimate, possessing licenses and accreditation from government.
“Hindi mangyayari na ang contractor hihingi ng suporta sa ordinary mamamayan. It is strictly between the contractor and AFAB,” she said.
She reminded the public to be careful in transacting with people who introduce themselves as having connections with AFAB or even employees of the authority. She said they are ready to attend to all complaints.
“Pinaka-importante sa ngayon maiwasan na, hindi madagdagan ang nalilinlang nating mga kababayan,” Calimag said.
Mariveles Mayor Ace Jello Concepcion said about 20 individuals were victimized of not less than P20 million based on people who have approached him.
“Batay sa kuwento ng mga biktima, ang mga suspects nagsasabing may kontrata sila sa FAB, even sa local government unit at may ipinapakita umanong dokumento,” the mayor said.
He said he could not blame the victims of their desire to earn. “Kaya lang kapag ang off er is too good to be true, dapat magdalawang-isip. Kapag masiyadong malaki ang return of investments, mag-isip-isip na,” he said.
“Criminal yan. May intent to defraud so estafa. Hindi simple collection of sum of money na kailangang idaan pa sa barangay. Sabi ko sa mga biktima, idiretso sa korte, punta sila sa fiscal,” Concepcion, a lawyer, said.
Raechel Castro said she and five others have filed a case of syndicated estafa against Judith Villanueva, Karen Provido and six others with the Bataan Prosecutors Office in Balanga City.
Castro said she “invested” P4.6 million while the others P6.8M, P4.4M, P1M, P300,000 and other amounts totaling almost P20M.
She said there were other victims but have not come out in the open.
The six complainants said they parted their hard-earned and borrowed money to the suspects because of the profit they were promised to earn to as high as 20 – 30% of their investment in just 10 days.
“Nag-invest ako sa isang construction business na under daw sa project ng AFAB. Hindi ako nag-doubt dahil sa dami ng project ng AFAB,” Castro said.
The complainant said it was her friend Villanueva who invited her to invest P40,000 that will earn P5,000 every five working days.
Castro and some of the complainants and Villanueva are employees in companies in the Freeport.
“Sinabihan ako ni Judith Villanueva na mangutang para mapasok sa investment. Umabot ng P4.6 million ang naibigay ko sa kanya kasama pera ng mother at brother ko,” Castro said.
“Hindi kami agad nagdoubt sa kanya dahil sa tiwala at parang pamilya ang turing namin sa kanya. Pero sa katagalan, puro pangako at walang naibibigay para ibalik sa nautang namin,” she said.
Castro said of the P4.6M she has given to Villanueva, she received in the early part of the transaction only P20,000 and the promised interest of P100,000.
She said a certain Claire Ken Chan identified herself as the contractor and owner of the construction business but it turned out there was no Chan and was only an alias of Provido.
“Nagturuan si Villanueva at Provido sa ginawang pagpapanggap. Niloko lamang pala kami,” Castro said.
She said she started “investing” with Villanueva on October 2017 and with Provido on April 2018.
“Kami ay nananawagan na sana maibalik kung ano kinuha nila sa amin. Ma-expose sana para hindi na sila makapaminsala sa iba. Anim lamang kaming naglakas-loob na magreklamo dahil ang ilan natatakot,” Castro said.
