By CONG B. CORRALES, Associate Editor,
andJIGGER JERUSALEM,
Correspondent
PHOENIX EA Holdings International Inc., the firm that caused the arrest of former vice mayor Caesar Ian Acenas in Mandaue City on Tuesday night, has been operating under the radar in Cagayan de Oro for six months, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) confirmed yesterday.
Renato Egypto, SEC regional director, said that until the arrest of Acenas and four others in Mandaue this week, they were “clueless” about the existence of the investment firm.
Meanwhile, Misamis Oriental Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano came to the defense of Acenas, and said he was saddened by what happened to his political ally.
Emano also asked the public not to quickly judge Acenas. “Allow him to air his side to the public and to the court of law.”
Egypto said the SEC needs complainants or even anonymous tips so they could look into any investment company operating in the city.
“Usually, maulaw man gud ang investor og file og complaint,” he said.
He said they then checked with their counterparts in Davao who confirmed that they have the company listed with them.
Egypto said Phoenix has been registered as a corporation.
However, Egypto explained that a company has to have what they called a “secondary license” to be able to solicit investments legally.
“Atong gipa-check kanina buntag apan negative siya sa local list,” he said.
“Gi-confirm sa Davao office nga wala kini sila’y (Phoenix) secondary license for solicitation of investment,” said Egypto.
He said Acenas could be liable if the former vice mayor had actively solicited investments.
“Kung investor ragyudsiya (Acenas) wala ta’y mabuhat ana. Pero there is a reason nganong gi-apil siya pag dakop didto sa Cebu. Most likely, naay nag-complain saiya,”Egypto said.
He said the company is most likely operating a Ponzi scheme.
Egypto said SEC is also looking into a promotional video of the Phoenix that referred to another group called Blitz Unlimited which appears to have the same people behind the two companies.
“Ato kining ipa investigate kun unsa’y relasyon ining Phoenix ug Blitz,” he said.
Egypto said SEC’s next move would likely be to issue an advisory warning people against investing with the two companies.
In another development, Egypto said the Department of Justice has already come out with a resolution to indict the people behind Kappa Ministries.
“Sunod ana korte na sila muatubang,” he said.
In a press statement, Gov. Emano said he knows Acenas personally, and he can say that the former vice mayor has proven to be a true friend and a responsible member of the Padayon Pilipino.
The governor said it was his father, the late former mayor Vicente Emano, who chose Acenas as his vice mayor because of the deceased’s trust in him.
Emano said he has asked provincial information officer Florito “Carlo” Dugaduga to help Acenas.
“Since Dugaduga is from there (Cebu), I believe he can help Acenas get legal assistance,” Emano said.
Acenas was arrested with four other people by a team of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group agents for their alleged involvement in an investment scam that has raked in at least P400 million in Mindanao alone.
The others arrested were Aileen Hope Matulac, Maria Esperanza Makinano, Arjun Gomban, and AjetorDaya.
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