BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A 52-year-old man claiming to be a “general” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, who was recently arrested for estafa charges and usurpation of authority in Cadiz City, and later freed after posting bail, was again apprehended on Wednesday by the police in Brgy. 9, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
Nabbed by virtue of arrest warrants issued by Panabo Regional Trial Court Judge Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga in Davao del Norte for two counts of estafa was Joel Famoso, alias MGen. Joel P. Famoso.
During the serving of the arrest warrants by intelligence operatives of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and the Kabankalan City Police, a .45 caliber Colt pistol with a magazine containing six ammunition, an HP laptop, an iPhone, a Speck iPad and an Apple MC Book were also recovered by the police.
Famoso, who also claimed to be a Malacaňang “special envoy” and eight others had also been apprehended by the police on July 24 in Brgy. Zone 2, Cadiz City, by virtue of arrest warrants for usurpation of authority and two counts of estafa.
Lt. Col. Robert Mansueto, Cadiz City police chief, however, said yesterday that Famoso was freed from police custody after he posted bail for the charges against him.
The arrest of Famoso , who also claimed to be Chief Communication Operation for the President’s Project and Chief Presidential Investigator, an ordained minister of the Jesus Praise Family Ministry, and a lawyer, and eight others in Cadiz City, yielded a fragmentation grenade and two .38 caliber revolvers.
Mansueto said that they are still waiting for a resolution from the court on charges for illegal possession of explosives and firearms they filed against Famoso and his companions.
Cadiz City police investigation showed that the group of Famoso allegedly engaged in investment fraud, where investors are being promised interest capital shares for lots or real property investments under the Jesus Praise Family Ministry.*
