70 SAF members duped of M in rice investment scam

KIDAPAWAN CITY – At least 70 elements of the Special Action Forces (SAF) deployed in different areas in North Cotabato are bent on filing charges against a police officer and two of his cohorts in their bid to get back about R40 million they invested in what they called was “fake rice investment.”

A SAF member, who asked not to be named, said he invested R100,000 as “rice investment” in an investment scheme allegedly managed by PO3 Beltzasar Elorcosa Aporbo and his wife Bai Mamot Mangacop.

Aporbo is also a member of the SAF who, early this year, went AWOL (absent without official leave) from his unit.

According to reports, the couple went into hiding somewhere in Mamasapano in Maguindanao after they failed to return the money invested by SAF members from North Cotabato.

The rice investment, a SAF member recalled, started in November 2016.

He said Aborpo told them that if they invested at least R1,800 per sack of rice, they will get, in return, an income of R430 because the rice would be sold at R2,230.

At first, the SAF member said, many of them were lured to invest more money when they received some dividends from Aborpo.

He said many of them even had to borrow large sums of money, pawned their ATM (automated teller ma- chine) cards, and sell pieces of property just to invest more in Aborpo’s business.

In all, the victim said he and the rest of the 70 SAF members from North Cotabato invested about P40 million to Aborpo’s rice business.

The problem started in July 2017 when they no longer get the income they were promised by Aborpo, the SAF member recounted.

Since then, they could no longer reach Aborpo and his wife or locate their whereabouts.

On Thursday, the SAF members trooped to the Kidapawan City PNP to file their complaint against Aborpo, his wife, and secretary Jocelyn Bersola.

They told media here they are already readying syndicated estafa charges against the couple and their staff.