NBI chief urges rice scam victims to come out

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – National Bureau of Investigation- Bacolod chief Atty. Renoir Baldovino is urging other victims of a multimillion-peso rice investment scam here to come out and file charges against the culprits.

Baldovino told Daily Guardian Monday that 50 complainants have come forward so far.

He said the NBI has already filed syndicated estafa charges with the Bacolod Prosecutor’s Office last week against Krizia Gonzaga, Jennifer Nierves and their three companions, all residents of Bacolod City.

Baldovino said there are more complainants.

“Na file na namin for the initial victims. Ongoing pa for the additional victims probably this week makapag-file uli kami.”

The amount allegedly scammed from the victims amounted to P48 million.

Baldovino said Gonzaga and Nierves were pinpointed by the victims as the principal suspects in the rice investment scam.

He said the victims claimed that the suspects encouraged them to invest their money in a rice venture.

Baldovino compared the scam to a pyramiding scheme.

“They will recruit more persons to invest their money on rice venture and the suspects already took about P48 million from the victims,” he added.

Baldovino said the victims gave between P300,000 to P10 million in exchange for hefty returns in just three days.

But he noted that there is no rice shortage here “so how can they earn a big amount of money in just three days?”

Baldovino said the suspects promised the victims that they will earn 10 to 300 percent depending on the duration of their investment.

The complainants came out after the suspects failed to give the promised earnings.

Based on their investigation, the suspects have no business permit from the City Government of Bacolod and no registration with the Securities and Exchange (SEC).

The suspects told the investors that they have five rice warehouses in the city and were supplying rice to as far as Negros Oriental.