Widow nabbed for scamming military pensioners

Authorities arrested an individual in connection with an illegal investment scheme involving military pensioners, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Friday.

In a briefing, the NBI said the subject is a widow of a late uniformed personnel. She was arrested in an entrapment operation in Quezon City on September 30. 

“There’s this company that offers facilitation nung release nung pension but once released, hindi po napupunta sa kanila lahat. Kaonti lang napupunta sa kanila at sinasabi nung nag fa-facilitate na kumpanya, ang leader na ito yung nahuli natin, na ilagay doon sa investment,” spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said. 

(There’s this company that offers facilitation for the release of the pension but once released, it does not all go to them. Only a small amount goes to them, and the company facilitating it, whose leader we have caught, says that it should be placed in the investment.)

He added that the company is not authorized by the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

One of the complainants, a retired Navy personnel who served for 25 years, said he lost around P1.3 million due to the scheme. Another complainant said they lost P20 million. 

The retired Navy personnel also said that an “agent” endorsed the company to him.

“Naaawa po ako sa wife ko kasi nangako ako na may retirement ako eh. Money. Ang problema, ano, hindi ko na naibigay kaya medyo naano kami ngayon sa mga payments,” he said.

(I feel sorry for my wife because I promised her that I would have retirement money. The problem is, I wasn’t able to provide it so we are now struggling with payments.)

“Ngayon po nag-aaply ako ng trabaho. Supposed to be retired na ako. Pero pinipilit ko po magtrabaho,” he added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News