November 29, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — A fugitive casino junket operator has been turned over to Philippine authorities following his deportation from Indonesia.
Hector Pantollana, 35, is accused of operating fraudulent investment schemes through junket operations, networking businesses and other ventures promising high-yield returns.
Pantollana arrived yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, according to the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Pantollana is facing fraud charges in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
“The suspect scammed several people, promising high returns of up to 20 percent per month, or even doubling their investments in a short period of time,” CIDG director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said.
“One investor alone claimed losses of P200 million, and total losses could reach several billions of pesos,” he noted.
Handoyo Salman, an Indonesian involved in online scams worth 900 billion rupiah (P3.3 billion) was handed over to Indonesian authorities in exchange for Pantollana.
Salman was among 42 foreigners apprehended during a raid on an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator hub in Bataan in October.
Pantollana’s arrest was part of an ongoing CIDG probe into large-scale financial fraud. He is being held at the CIDG headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
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