Spokesman sees politics behind crackdown on Kapa

Members of Kapa-Community Ministry International Inc., which is being linked to an investment scam, held an assembly on Sunday in Taytay, Rizal, to urge President Rodrigo Duterte to allow them to operate again.

According to a Balitanghali report by Athena Imperial on Monday, Kapa Ministry members claimed that politics was behind the government’s crackdown on their group.

"Sa tingin po namin nasagasaan namin 'yung mga oligarko, nasagasaan namin 'yung mga mayayaman na walang nag-iinvest sa kanya. Karamihan nag-iinvest sa Kapa na lang," Danny Mangahas, Kapa Ministry's spokesman, said.

"Voluntary po ito. Wala po kaming inaasahang balik sa Kapa. Wala nga pong nagrereklamo. Kung sa ibang networking company 'to malamang nag-alsa-masa na 'yan. Malamang umiiyak na sila kung saan napunta ang pera nila," he added.

The Kapa Ministry members appealed to Duterte to let them operate, adding that they support the Chief Executive in his administration's fight against criminality.

"Kayo po ang tatay ng mga mahihirap... Kami po ay mahihirap... sana po pagbigyan niyo na po kami. Kasama niyo po kami, Mr. President, sa paglaban sa krimen, sa paglaban sa kahirapan," Kapa members said during the assembly.

The Court of Appeals issued a freeze order on Kapa's bank accounts and other assets on June 4, as the Securities and Exchange Commission considers the firm as an investment scam.

Duterte has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to shut down Kapa Ministry.

The President has also apologized to the people victimized by the group.  —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News