AUTHORITIES are looking into a possible conspiracy between Lingig, Surigao del Sur Mayor Jimmy Luna and Kapa Community Ministry International Inc. founder Joel Apolinario, who was arrested in a resort in Lingig after months of hiding.
Caraga Police Regional Office Director Joselito Esquivel Jr. said Thursday, July 23, 2020, that they asked Luna to explain after they learned that the mayor had sold or rented the resort to Apolinario.
Apolinario was arrested Tuesday, July 21, along with 23 of his followers at the resort, which is situated in Sitio Dahican in Barangay Handamayan in Lingig.
"Reportedly ito ay nabili o inaarkila niya doon sa mayor mismo ng Lingig. Iniimbestigahan din natin 'yung mayor, bakit 'yung ganitong isang napakalaking puwersa ay unang-una, ikaw na mayor, ikaw pa magbebenta o magpapaarkila ng lupa," Esquivel said.
Esquivel said Apolinario's group seemed to have intentionally isolated themselves as they built an 11-foot perimeter fence.
He said they started monitoring Apolinario and his armed men in January 2020.
On February 11, the Bislig Regional Trial Court Branch 29 issued an arrest warrant against Apolinario, trustee Margie Danao, corporate secretary Reyna Apolinario, and alleged promoters Marisol Diaz, Adelfa Fernandico, Moises Mopia and Reniones Catubigan over charges of investment fraud.
Police served the arrest warrant on July 21, leading to a shootout that killed two men and wounded another. Police said they recovered 49 firearms of various caliber and assorted rounds of ammunition.
The charges stemmed from a complaint lodged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Kapa in 2019 for alleged violation of the Republic Act No. 8799, or the Securities Regulations Code.
Kapa enticed its members to invest a minimum of P10,000 in exchange for a 30 percent monthly return for life.
Over P100 million in Kapa assets were frozen while its certificate of registration was revoked, prompting the National Bureau of Investigation to raid and shut down at least 13 Kapa offices in various parts of the country in 2019.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has created a special task group to collate the complaints against Kapa and look into the possible involvement of government employees, policemen and military personnel in its illegal operations. (VoxPop Philippines)