TACLOBAN CITY – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued an advisory reminding the public not to deal with entities that have no necessary license issued by their office.

SEC, in an advisory, said that the five entities were cited due to their unauthorized solicitation of investments without the necessary license from them.

Some of these groups’ investment schemes or actions resemble a pyramid/Ponzi scheme where investors earn through recruitment fees instead of the sale of actual products/services, and investors are paid using the contribution of new members,” the SEC said on its advisory issued on Thursday (Sept.14).

“The Commission remains unwavering in its efforts to stamp out illegal investment-taking activities through financial literacy campaigns and advisories to the public. You may visit the SEC website at www.sec.gov.ph to learn more about the Commission’s enforcement actions and investor education campaign,” it added.

The SEC further said that those who act as salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents, representatives, promoters, recruiters, uplines, influencers, endorsers, abetters and enablers in soliciting or convincing people to invest in the investment scheme being offered by the said entity including soliciting investments or recruiting investors through the internet may be held criminally liable under Section 11 of the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act (FCPA) and Section 28 of the SRC and both penalized separately with a maximum fine of P5 million or imprisonment of 21 years or both.

These entities are Dermacare-Beyond Skin Care Solutions/Beyong Skincare Solution that entices the public to invest in its business scheme through a “Franchise Partner Agreement” amounting to P250,000 were the prospective investors a guaranteed return of 12.6% quarterly interest for five years, along with other complimentary services.

The Mono Mall, an entity that posts a fake SEC registration certificate online as a means to entice the public to invest in their business schemes and claims that it can help merchants increase their product sales and promote their business online by merely following a certain Tiktok user and completing “tasks”. By completing the said tasks, merchants will be entitled to commissions ranging from 30% to 60%, it claimed.

The Pamper Me Salon and Spa, that offers co-ownership rights and guaranteed earnings to prospective investors who will invest in their alleged business expansion. Accordingly, a prospective investor who invests P50,000 will earn a guaranteed 10% monthly interest, P100, 000 for 25%, and P500, 000 or more for 35%, subject to a six-month lock-in period.
Melon Plus/Primelogix Marketing Inc. that claims to offer tools and systems to prospective affiliates/investors who wish to start an affiliate and drop shipping business, the JBF Goldminer International/Gold De Luck, an entity claims to be a gold mining investment company that offers a guaranteed 10% daily profit for a period of 30 days.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

ORMOC CITY-An elderly man reported missing by his family was found dead floating in a river in Calbiga, Samar on Friday (Sept.15) at about 1:30 pm.

The victim, Pascual Mabag, 88, farmer, a resident of Brgy. Otoc, Calbiga, Samar.
The personnel of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) with Calbiga fire office scoured the Calbiga River in Barangay Otoc about 1: 00 in the afternoon on Friday after receiving the information from a relative of the missing person.

Rodel Figueroa, who headed the team, said that the family of the victim last found him past 9 pm on Thursday (Sept. 14) near his house.

The relatives said that the following day the old man was missing and while checking the surrounding of the old man’s house, they found traces of footsteps near the river bank prompting them to ask support from the help from the police who called the MDRRMO to assist them in looking for the victim in the river.

The local MDRRMO and rescue group made several dives of the river until they found the victim’s body lifeless beside the river bank of Calbiga River particularly in Brgy. Otoc, about 100 meters away from his house.

The victim was brought to the rural health unit for a post mortem examination where he was declared dead on arrival by an attending physician due to drowning.
(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY-A businessman was detained at the locked-up cell after he was arrested for creating an alarm and scandal in Merida, Leyte.

Merida town police chief Major Ian Po identified the suspect as Christopher Cabantoy, 40, a businessman involved in bolo making, and a resident of Sitio Manga Brgy. Seguinon, Albuera, also in Leyte.

Case investigator Police Senior Master Sergeant Adorberto B Carba Jr, in an interview said that at about 12:30 noon on Wednesday (Sept.13), they received a cellular phone call from a concerned citizen informing them that the suspect was creating trouble at Sitio Daos-os, Brgy. Lamanoc, Merida, Leyte.

He said that they immediately responded by proceeding to the area which resulted in the arrest of the suspect for alarm and scandal and violation of RA 10591.

Confiscated from his possession was a one 45 caliber pistol with magazine inserted with six live ammunitions.

Carba disclosed that the suspect had an altercation with his live-in partner in their house in Albuera and the woman reportedly went to his family in Merida.

The suspect allegedly arrived in the Merida at midday and started to look for his partner but failed to find her whereabouts.

The suspect allegedly pulled out his firearm and poke this to all the persons there while asking about the whereabouts of his live-in partner.

Charges of Violations of RA 10591, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Possession of Firearms, Ammunitions, and Explosives in relation to COMELEC Resolution No. 10918 was filed by the apprehending police against the suspect who is temporarily detained at the Merida MPS locked-up cell. (ROBERT DEJON)