Police tell public to be wary of investment firms

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

From the Seafood Capital of the Philippines, Roxas City is now dubbed as the country’s investment scheme, or for some, investment scam capital of the country.

But amidst the thriving “investment environment” in Roxas City, where does the local police force stand?

Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Jomuad Jr., Roxas City Police Chief, said that they have been doing information campaign, through the local tri-media and different social media platform, to carefully scrutinize these investment companies.

“We have been reminding the public to be extra careful sa pag-invest sang ila hard-earn money sa mga companies operating online sa internet kag mga companies nga may mga offices diri sa Capiz kag sa iban na province sa Region 6,” Jomuad said.

He stressed that they have been doing this constantly “to avoid another financial fraud.”

“We have been reminding the public not to make themselves victims of financial scam,” Jomuad said.

He said that the public was reminded to be circumspect in ensuring that they are dealing with legitimate companies or those with complete documents and permits to legally operate.

Jomuad said they have kept track of several companies that went “bankrupt” and left some of their investors in heavy debts.

The alleged investment scam victims went to the police stations to have their complaints booked.

These investment firms include:

* Forex Investments

* Airbit

* Bit Accelerate

* Cashdrop

* Omriicorn

* BDI

* 25 Days Double your Money Scheme

* 7 Days.

Recently, the Roxas City Police Station also held five OJT employees of Aljean Padua after nine investors of Alcoins Digital Marketing Scheme, another investment scheme, complained that their PHP2-million investment have yet to be returned.

Jomuad said despite allegations that investment schemes are nothing but scams, some residents are simply “risk takers.”

“Wala kami nagkulang sa pagpahanundom sa ila. We hope nga ang mga previous complaints would serve as a lesson for them not to deal with these shady businesses,” he said.

On November 2019, members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), together with Roxas City Police Station, arrested Lourdes Baarde and her alleged cohort, Joel Domayan, over the alleged P600-M investment scam in Capiz.

In a span of one year, Baarde, a resigned employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) – Roxas City, was believed to have accumulated at least PHP600-million from around 800 investors, who are mostly in Roxas City.

But late 2018, Baarde, a resident of Rio Grande Subdivision, Barangay Baybay, Roxas City, could no longer be contacted.

She also resigned from her work as revenue officer of BIR-Roxas City.

Baarde was later arrested in Calamba, Laguna while Domayan, 28, was collared at his residence in South Triangle, Quezon City by the strength of a warrant of arrest for Criminal Case No. C-261-19.