Wahana CEO breaks silence, vows to pay back investors

The CEO of the company linked to an alleged investment scam has broken her silence to deny that they have swindled millions of pesos from their investors who are mostly policemen and overseas Filipino workers.

In an exclusive interview by GMA News' Emil Sumangil that was aired on 24 Oras on Thursday, Maria Lysa Soler of Wahana Credit and Lending Corp. also denied that she is hiding from authorities even as she is facing syndicated estafa charges.

"Ang Wahana po ay hindi scam. Ako po ay hindi tumakas,  nagtago," she said.

To Wahana's investors she said, "Kung kayo po ay lehitimong investor at ang pangalan n'yo ay nasa master list namin, makakzsiguro kayo 100 percent na ibabalik po namin kung anuman ang nararapat para sa inyo."

The company was investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly running a large-scale, multi-billion peso investment scam. It was found to be operating without authorization from the  Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Soler claimed the problem with the investors started while she was confined at a hospital and was on leave as Wahana CEO in November last year.

"Noong nawala po ako, doon na nangyari na may mga hindi daw po nakaka-receive ng mga pa-out, 'yung kanilang mga income sa Wahana, 'yung interest ng pera, hindi na nakuha," she said.

She said she believes money went to the hands of certain employees who are now being investigated. "Pagkapanganak ko po, nagpa-external audit kami para malaman po namin kung sino talaga ang dapat managot," she said.

Soler's claim, however, did not placate the claimants.

"Napakadaling gawin ni Lysa na magturo dahil hindi natin mave-verify kung totoo nga ang kanyang pinagsasabi dahil nga wala kasing rehistradong Wahana," said lawyer Paul Laguatan, counsel for the claimants.

This, despite Soler's statement that some 8,000 claimants who are on the masterlist will be paid starting May 7.

She said 100 investors will be accommodated daily at company's newly-constructed office, the location of which she has yet to reveal. She said they will call the investors one by one to explain to them the process of payment.

However, she said the investors will not be allowed to bring cellphones and firearms to the company's office.

"Hindi po talaga namin papayagan na may makapasok dito na cellphone or firearms. So 'yung investor lang 'yung katawan niya lang, two valid IDs and documents that we are gonna require them pagtawag namin," she said.

Laguatan, meanwhile, insisted that Wahana has engaged in investment scam.

"Kung hindi ka scam, bakit ka makikipag-settle?" he said. " 'Yan ang unang tanong. Ang mga nagse-settle lang ay 'yung ga may kasalanan." —Margaret Claire Layug/KBK, GMA News