Wife of Aman Futures founder nabbed in Pampanga

The wife of alleged pyramid scam mastermind Manuel Amalilio, who is accused of stealing P12 billion from some 15,000 investors, has been arrested in Pampanga, a report from the Philippine National Police said Tuesday.

 

Members of the PNP Regional Office 3 in Central Luzon managed to recognize Abigail Pendulas despite her "artificial noselift" and nabbed her last May 2 at 11:45 p.m. inside Party Place in Dolores, City of San Fernando.

Amalilio and Pendulas are facing charges of syndicated estafa, a non-bailable offense, along with other officials of Aman Futures Group Philippines Inc. They are accused of duping investors and engaging in futures trading without the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The PNP said Pendulas, who has been in hiding since last year, was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Presiding Judge Alberto Quinto of the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 in Lanao del Norte. 

 

Prior to her arrest, Pendulas had been using the alias Azziah Concillado de Guzman, police said. She was with a female companion identified as May Leechelle Ohales at the time of her arrest.

Pendulas is currently detained at Camp Olivas in Pampanga pending the turnover to the Lanao court.

 

Her husband, Amalilio, fled the country in 2012 and sought refuge in Kota Kinabalu when his firm collapsed. He is currently serving a two-year jail sentence in Malaysia for carrying a fake passport and IDs. — with Mark Merueñas/RSJ/YA, GMA News