Posted at 04/12/2013 4:21 PM | Updated as of 04/12/2013 9:10 PM
MANILA - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday said the arrest warrant for Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co is "effectively a hold departure order" barring the local chief executive from leaving the country.
In a text message, De Lima, who has direct supervision over the Bureau of Immigration (BI), said: "BI Authorities can and must take him (Co) into custody for turnover to the [National Bureau of Investigation] or [Philippine National Police] for the service of the arrest warrant."
The Iligan Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued the arrest warrant on Thursday on syndicated estafa charges against Co in connection with the Aman Futures pyramiding scam. The case stems from the complaint of alleged Aman Futures investor Julius Labunog who claims that his group was duped by Co and the firm's officers for a combined amount of P29.63 million.
Aman Futures is implicated in a P12 billion pyramiding scam described by the government as the largest Ponzi scheme, to date, in the country.
The NBI tried to serve the warrant this morning in Pagadian City but could not locate Co.
De Lima has ordered the NBI to determine Co's whereabouts and serve the arrest warrant
