By Benjamin Pulta/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) cautioned the public to heed President Rodrigo Duterte’s concern about the financial viability of the KAPA Community Ministry International Inc.
“We should be thankful we have a very smart President. Pre-emptive move ito (This is a pre-emptive move),” National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said in a press briefing Thursday.
“Kadalasan dito, we would come into the picture as a reactionary move (Most of the time in the past the NBI would come into the picture as a reactionary move),” Lavin explained.
NBI National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) Director Cesar Bacani said they will file charges shortly against officials of the group in the next few days.
“With regards to the search warrants which were served last Monday, we will definitely file cases by next week,” Bacani told reporters.
Bacani added other concerned agencies including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council are keeping a close watch on the situation but added that only a private complainant is needed to initiate estafa and swindling complaints.
Bacani noted that the SEC and NBI also discovered that Kapa was also making investments.
“Hindi kayang i-sustain ng sinasabing business na yun na ige-generate na interest na dapat ibigay nila roon sa kanilang mga investors or donors (But these businesses are not enough to generate income to pay off the interests of their investors or donors),” Bacani pointed out.
The NBI earlier said they estimate the group makes a daily payout of PHP100 million in “blessings” to its members which represent 30 percent of whatever the member “donates”.
NBI operatives were able to seize during the raids various documents, records, books, and equipment which will be used in the filing of the cases.
Bacani said the respondents in the complaints will include those named in its registration, the incorporators, the board of directors, officers, and other persons who were not named therein but actively participated in the said operation.
The SEC earlier accused Kapa of having no license and authority to receive investments in violation of Section 8 and 26 of the Securities Corporation Code of the Philippines.
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