CIDG probes into investment scam that took money from hundreds of cops

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines — The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is investigating an alleged money market scam after hundreds of police personnel lost their money to promises of big profits.

Regional police officials told reporters Sunday that four from their ranks — Cpl. Rhodora Bombita, Cpl. Daisy Javierto, Lt.Col. Henry Biñas and Col. Raul Supiter — will testify against the operators of the controversial PlanProMatrix, or PPM.

The four witnesses belong to the Police Regional Office-12 based in this city.

"Surely this case will serve as a lesson to those who easily gets fooled with `too good to be true' earnings from pyramid money market schemes," a senior police official involved in the investigation said on Sunday.

The PPM, which became known eventually as the Pulis Paluwagan Program after it hogged the news last month, has reportedly collected more than P500 million in investments from PRO-12 personnel.

Documents from private prosecutor Nena Santos indicated that an initial report on the case had been submitted to the City Prosecutor’s Office here by Major Gen. Amador Corpus, CIDG director.

Not one from the hundreds who invested in the PPM has been paid, according to the CIDG.

Santos is in possession of documents and other evidence needed to prosecute the operators of PPM for large-scale swindling and estafa.

A potential witness to the scam, Patrolwoman Kristel Joy Roxas, mysteriously disappeared after victims started building a case against the operators of PPM.

Roxas is said to have turned over to members of her family evidence that can be used against the PPM operators.