Arrest warrants out vs Rasumans over additional estafa cases

MANILA -- A local court on Friday released arrest warrants against Jachob "Coco" Rasuman, suspected leader of an investment scam group operating in Lanao del Sur, over two additional syndicated estafa cases filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

His father, former Public Works and Highways undersecretary Basher Dimaampo Rasuman, was also listed in the two separate arrest warrants issued by Judge Vincent Rosales of Misamis Oriental Regional Trial Court branch 23. Listed as well were Ema Rasuman, Princess Aliah Tomawis-Rasuman, Vice Mayor Maning Rasuman of Tamparan, Lanao del Sur, Jerome Rasuman and Basher Rasuman Jr.

No bail was recommended for their temporary liberty.

Jachob has been under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila since November owing to his involvement in the P120-million syndicated estafa case filed against him and his father by 25 people.

On Wednesday, the DOJ's special panel of prosecutors found merit in the separate complaints by Achmad Sangcaan and Naim Sampao, who both claimed to have been gypped by the Rasumans.

The cases were filed the next day.

Sangcaan claimed to have invested a total of P5.13 million and is asking to recover P15 million in damages. He was promised an interest rate of 70 percent to 100 percent in two months time for his initial investment of P300,000 in the Rasuman's NAD-21 Auto Option Trading Corp.

Sampao, for his part, said he lost P14.3 million to the group, but he is asking for damages, including interests amounting to P26.51 million.

The Rasumans allegedly defrauded investors by posing as a group involved in oil exploration, petroleum sale, stock market investment and car trading. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)