A Filipino investment scam leader was deported yesterday to the Philippines weeks after he was arrested in Indonesia, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said.
The CIDG said Hector Aldwin Pantollana was turned over to CIDG personnel at 12:05 a.m. yesterday at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Pantollana and his escorts arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City at 5:40 a.m.
Shortly after, CIDG personnel served him 15 arrest warrants for estafa and syndicated estafa.
He is detained at the CIDG’s Anti-Organized Crime Unit at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“His deportation from Indonesia and subsequent arrest mark a significant milestone in the CIDG’s commitment to bringing fugitives to justice and safeguarding the Filipino public from organized crime,” said CIDG director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said.
“This arrest sends a clear message: criminals cannot escape justice, no matter where they hide. We remain committed to protecting the public and ensuring the rule of law prevails,” said Torre.
Indonesian authorities apprehended Pantollano last November 9 at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport based on a Red Notice issued by Interpol. The Red Notice is a request to law enforcers nationwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person wanted by a country.
Torre said Pantollana and his cohorts amassed “several billions” of pesos from hundreds of victims from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
Torre said one of their victims based in Metro Manila lost about P200 million to Pantollana’s group.
“We’ve just (served) several warrants (of arrest) against Pantollano who is accused of scamming and duping persons of large amounts of money. These warrants were issued as early as last year,” said Torre.
Torre said Pantollana and his cohorts convinced their victims to invest in their business with a promise of “high yield.”
Torre said Pantollana’s co-accused have also been issued arrest warrants.
“The cohorts of this person are mobile. They have the means and resources to jump from one country to another,” said Torre.
