No private complainants vs. Kapa yet, NBI admits

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday admitted no one has come forward to file a complaint against the religious corporation and alleged investment scam that President Rodrigo Duterte ordered shut down.

Cesar Bacani, the NBI's National Capital Region director, said they cannot file an estafa complaint against Kapa-Community Ministry International Inc. without a private complainant.

"As of this time wala pa. Wala pang private complainants or victims na gustong mag-file ng reklamo laban sa Kapa kasi po nakakatanggap pa sila ng interes na 30 percent na pinapangako ng Kapa," Bacani said at a press conference.

But the official said the NBI can already file a complaint against Kapa for bailable offenses over violations of the Securities Regulation Code.

"Ang kaibahan ngayon is wala pang gustong mag-lodge ng formal complaint dahil nakakatanggap pa sila or umaasa pa sila na makakatanggap sila. Pero the mere fact na hindi sila makakatanggap, dadagsa ang complainants natin dito," Bacani said.

Armed with a court-issued search warrant, NBI agents launched simultaneous operations against Kapa in Cagayan Valley, Quezon City, Rizal, Tacloban City, Tagum City, Cagayan de Oro, and General Santos last Monday.

Two days before the raids, Duterte ordered the bureau and the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to shut down Kapa, which he said engages in "pyramiding."

An NBI official said the president's order hastened the bureau's action against the corporation.

As early as March, the Securities and Exchange Commission had made permanent a cease and desist order for Kapa to stop soliciting investments without the proper license.

Kapa members have protested the shutdown, saying the organization has helped them financially. — MDM, GMA News