Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 16 issued hold departure order against eight officers of Kapa-Community Ministry International, including founder and president Pastor Joel Apolinario, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday night.
Kapa officers have been accused of operating the largest investment scam in the Philippines. The Court of Appeals has frozen Kapa’s assets.
A lookout bulletin order was earlier issued against Apolinario, Kapa, trustee Margie Danao, corporate secretary Reyna Apolinario, Marisol Diaz, Adelfa Fernandico, Moises Mopia, Catherine Evangelista, and Rene Catubigan.
Guevarra said under a new rule, the Department of Justice is allowed to apply for precautionary HDO even if the DOJ has not yet filed a criminal case against Kapa officers, according to a report by Rappler.
Earlier, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed criminal complaints against Kapa officers before the DOJ for allegedly operating a Ponzi scheme. Kapa allegedly recruited members to donate at least P10,000 in exchange for a 30% return per month.
The SEC accused Kapa of violating sections 8, 26 and 28 of the Securities Regulation Code, which cover selling securities, registration, and prior approval of the SEC.
