Eight retired military personnel sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after falling victim to an investment scam that targeted pensioners.
According to NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin, the DS Mejia Documents Facilitation Service solicited pensions from military retirees or their widows, promising high returns.
‘This company offers facilitation of the release of military pension, but, upon release, not all money goes straight to the retirees. The company’s leader tells them that it would be placed in investments,’ Lavin said yesterday.
An NBI operation led to the arrest of company owner Dominga Mejia in a restaurant in Quezon City on Tuesday over charges of estafa, swindling and violations of the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act and the Securities Regulation Act.
One of the victims, Commander Bernard Jacob, said he served the Navy for 25 years and invested P1.3 million of his lump sum pension in August last year after the company promised him a return of 10 percent per month.
Jacob said he received P200,000 in cash for the first two months. However, he was issued a bouncing check on the third month, with the firm making several excuses.
‘I was buried in debt and got stuck because I couldn’t pay our creditors anymore,’ Jacob told reporters.
He said Mejia’s late husband also worked for the military, which could have given her knowledge of the Army’s pension system.
Mejia denied the allegations, as her lawyer questioned why the NBI presented her to the media.
‘She remains a suspect,’ Mejia’s lawyer said. ‘Please respect her right to be innocent.’