Incumbent city Mayor
Samuel Co is still at liberty to roam around and campaign for representative of
the first district of Zamboanga del Sur.
Co’s counsel, Atty. Angel Gatmaitan,
said they have asked the Iligan RTC Branch-1 to hold the proceedings of the
syndicated estafa against the mayor.
It also asked the court to defer
its warrant of arrest and arraignment.
Co, one of the respondents in the charge
filed by a certain Julius Labunog, was alleged to have defrauded people of some
P29.63 million
The complainant cited Co’s
involvement in Aman Futures Trading as he allegedly issued a temporary business
permit to the mentioned firm even before the company submitted its documents
certifying its legal registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Gatmaitan added that Co was not a representative
or agent of Aman and that there is no evidence that “he collected money
pursuant to any agency.”
The lawyer ended by saying the
letter of the complainant was only “substantiated allegations.”
A Philippine Preview information of
an earlier DOJ resolution said that “the mayor’s act of entering into an
agreement with Aman to taxeach investment was merely intended to make it appear
that the firm’s transactions were legitimate.”
It added that “because of Co’s
acts, investors relied on his representations on behalf of Aman and led them to
believe that the firm was indeed legitimate.”
Co rebutted in a motion by saying
the evidence against him is “mere hearsay.” (MICHAEL MEDINA)