AUTHORITIES served two search warrants against Kapa Community Ministry International, Inc. (Kapa) at Pioneer St., Tagum City, Davao del Norte, two days after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the law enforcement agencies to shut it down.
On Saturday, President ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and the police to investigate these investments schemes and close them down after allegedly soliciting investments from its members. Duterte said that the operation of Kapa is considered as a pyramid scheme.
NBI special investigator Juhary Guro, who led the operation yesterday, served the search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court-National Capital Region (RTC-NCR) Branch 20 against Kapa that is founded by Pastor Joel Apolinario for violation of Section 26 of the Securities Regulation Code of the Philippines for engaging in investment program without a secondary license.
The other search warrant was for lacking legal permits to operate in violation of Section 8 which states that securities shall not be sold or offered for sale or distribution within the Philippines, without a registration statement duly filed with and approved by the Commission.
The joint team arrived in Tagum around 1:30 p.m., Monday, June 10.
The search warrant commanded any peace officer to make an immediate search warrant at the premises of Kapa and seize and take their records such as Certificates of Membership Forms of Kapa, computers, cellular phones, laptops, printers and other paraphernalia containing the transactions, record of investments and those used or intended to be used in connection with their investment schemes.
Aside from that, the court ordered to confiscate the ledgers, journals and all other books of accounts and documents used in recording the transactions in connection with their business operations as well as the vehicles used in their transaction and bundles of cash if there is.
The service of the search warrant against Kapa is a simultaneous activity. Aside from Tagum, there are also operations in Nueva Vizcaya in Luzon, Cebu in Visayas, and in General Santos City.
Kapa Evangelist Robert Melendez, who received the search warrant, faced the authorities but he was firm on their right to operate. He was hesitant to sign at first but he later did.
“Hindi pwedeng i-implement ang cease and desist order kasi nga it’s a violation of constitutional rights as a religious organization,” he said.