NBI to assess seized papers at KAPA Compostela raid

The National Bureau of Investigation and Regional Special Operations Group in Central Visayas operatives serve a search warrant to representatives of the PAKA Community Ministry International office in Compostela town in northern Cebu. | Benjie Talisic

COMPOSTELA, Cebu, Philippines — The  National Bureau of Investigation will assess the documents confiscated during the June 10 afternoon raid at one of the regional offices of the KAPA Community Ministry International at Compostela, a town in northern Cebu.

Special Investigator Ben Panican of NBI Manila, who led the raid, said that they confiscated certificates of membership of KAPA, deed of donations, computers, and blank certificates for new members.

“Kung makita talaga natin na merong basihan na mag sampa nang kaso e di mag sampa tayo nang kaso,” Panican said.

(If we can find basis to file a case then we will file a case.)

Panican said that this would be on top of the case filed against the religious company based in Surigao del Sur for violating Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines, R.A. 8799.

He said that this was the first police-NBI raid on the KAPA offices in Central Visayas since KAPA had also another regional office in Bohol, which was reportedly also burned down.

Read more: Five men robbed, burned Kapa office in Compostela town

The KAPA office in Compostela town was robbed by 10 armed men on June 8 and two of their buildings in the compound owned by KAPA were burned down.

Read more: Duterte wants Kapa, other investment scams probed, shut down

The robbery and arson was done a day after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered authorities to investigate and shut down KAPA if found to have run an investment scam.

Read more: RSOG, NBI-7 search Kapa office; confiscate members records

At past 1 p.m. on June 10, Monday,  the NBI Manila and the Regional Special Operations Group in Central Visayas (RSOG-7) teams served a search warrant on representatives of KAPA in Compostela town.

The warrant was issued by Judge Marivic Umali of Regional Trial Court Manila Branch 20 against KAPA’s Pastor Joel Apolinario and Christopher Abad, Compostela KAPA manager.

Read more: KAPA manager told to show up, issue statement on Compostela raid

Panican said that Abad and Apolinario were not there when the search warrant was served, and it was a certain Josefina Ouano, who accepted the search warrant.

He also said that they then confiscated documents at the remaining building of the KAPA compound.

The other two buildings were burned down last June 8 by 10 armed robbers, who took the vault with an undetermined amount of cash.

Read more: KAPA workers lose P150K to armed men; task group eyed to probe Compostela robbery

The robbers also took the personal belongings of 21 KAPA workers, who were believed to be stay-in workers.

Read more: Sinas: Robbery, arson of KAPA Compostela office an inside job

Sinas, earlier, said that the robbery was an inside job because the robbers knew where the vaults were at the KAPA compound./dbs