Was Don Chiyuto really abducted?

By Felipe V. Celino 

 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) here appealed to authorities to thoroughly investigate if the chief executive officer (CEO) of an investment scheme here was indeed abducted.

The abduction or kidnapping of Patrocenio Chiyuto Jr., also known as Don Chiyuto, the CEO of Chiyuto Creative Wealth Document Facilitation Services (CCWDFS), allegedly happened on March 16, 2021.

CCWDFS is accused of allegedly duping hundreds of millions, if not billions, of pesos from investors.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has revoked the registration of CCWDFS for selling investment instruments sans the necessary permit. The SEC even called Chiyuto’s business as a Ponzi scheme, a form of fraudulent investment scam.

Capiz Board Member Enrique “Ricky” Martin said he would rather let the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) probe the incident before seeking the help of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Let us first wait for the results of the investigation of the PNP-CIDG before bringing the case of Chiyuto to the President,” Martin said.

Martin said that once they receive the official investigation report of the authorities, they will scrutinize whether the people of Capiz, more particularly the investors, will agree with the outcome.

“We have to dissect the report, para mabal-an naton kun ano ang ka-undan kag kun kunporme kita nga mga pumuluyo, ang mga victim. But kun indi kita kunporme sang report, then we go now to the president and request for an intervention to direct the NBI, the DOJ or the PNP-Anti Kidnapping Group to investigate,” the board member stressed.

If the police investigation is solid, Martin said they will wait for the PNP-CIDG to solve the case and rescue Chiyuto from the hands of his kidnappers.

He believed that Chiyuto could still not escape from his obligations to his investors.

Martin likened the alleged kidnapped stories of Chiyuto to a ‘sarswela’ (theater show) or ‘karambola’ in cockfighting.

“Karambola na ya subong. “Because everybody sa social media nagahatag sang ila own opinion, sentiments, their beliefs angut sa natabu nga pag kidnap kay Chiyuto,” he said.

He encouraged the investors to seek help from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Capiz chapter and National Bureau of Investigation in filing complaints against Chiyuto.

The board member added that the CEOs of the different investment schemes operating in Capiz have until March 31, 2021 to return the money of their investors.

On March 18, six persons including a police officer, were arrested in Makati and Parañaque for allegedly kidnapping the man accused of masterminding an investment scam.

Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar identified the lawman as S/MSgt. Felipe Woo, 46, who is assigned with the Regional Mobile Force Battalion of the National Capital Region Police Office.

The other suspects were Cyryl Malana, 38; Maverick Edrol Sapitanan, 24; Sapitanan’s mother, Marie Grace, 41; Celso Lozano, 50; and Chinese Gao Ya Quong, 30.

To recall, the provincial board held a committee hearing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regarding the alleged investment scams that victimized Capiceños and other nearby residents.

Meanwhile, the NBI-6 believed that Chiyuto and other CEOs of investment schemes operating in Capiz could not anymore return the investments.

Atty. Jeremiah Sargado, NBI-6 assistant regional director, said in a radio interview that the chances of the promised pay out by Chiyuto is very dim and remote as he (Chiyuto) is nowhere to be found.

Sargado said that at least 12 persons went to his office and signified their interested to file charges against Chiyuto.

The 12 complainants claimed that they invested P12 million in Chiyuto’s scheme.