NGO denies swindling charges

The Alliance for Networkers of the Philippines Organization Inc. (Anpo), a non-government organization (NGO) that presents itself as an anti-investment scam watchdog, has refuted charges of syndicated swindling filed by a group of investors who had contributed to the production of a film about multi-level marketing.

Jose Olinares Jr., Anpo founder and chair who is also running for a party list seat in Congress under “OFW Family Party,” had produced the movie “Upline Downline” to which a group of complainants contributed P1 million.

In a statement, Olinares denied that the complainants – Gwendelynn Jane Quizon, Corazon Sy Sabado, Rechelle Benganio, Nimpha Alcantara and Michelle Lozano – were Anpo members. He also denied having solicited financial assistance from members for the production of the film.

He claimed that a leader of a European-based pyramiding investment group was behind the attacks against Anpo. In the past two weeks, he said 350 complainants had sought the assistance of Anpo in filing criminal/civil and administrative case against the said group.

Olinares said the complainants had agreed to co-produce the film with Active Media Events Production Co. (Amepco) which, he said,  was an entity separate from Anpo. He said it was but a coincidence that the film was linked to ANPO due to its theme.

In its letter to prospective investors last,  April made as an attachment to the complaints, “Upline Downline” was described as “the first film in history that will was hoped seriously tackle to project the positive, inspirational side of the non-traditional models of MLM (multi-level marketing)/networking industry that reflects the business ethics being observed in upgrading its prevailing marketing systems and practices with the long-range goal to help enhance the country’s economy.”

This was pitched to investors as a first-class film that would feature showbiz stars including Angel Locsin, Mark Anthony Fernandez and Eddie Garcia. However, none of these stars appeared in the final movie which was described by a complainant as “disappointing” because of its “poor quality.”

Olinares said that since the movie theaters were fully booked until January of 2016, Amepco had failed to offer the film for regular showing.  He said only SM theaters had given time slots for special screening on Sept. 18 and Oct. 4, 2015. After two months, Olinares said the investors started demanding for their share of earnings.

He explained that the production cost stood at P3 million, one third of which the complainants had forked out. He explained: “in any business, the risk factor is always present,” adding that one factor that had affected the company was the failure of Robinsons Movie World to comply with the special screening deal slated for Sept. 18.

Olinares said the contract between the production and co-producers did not guarantee income even without showing the film and never gave any timeframe on the investment returns. Olinares said that to prove he was not remiss in his responsibilities, he told the co-producersa civil case against Robinsons Movie World had already been filed.

He said the co-producers had received their share of profit from the first and second screening of the movie in the amount of P53,000 and P94,000, respectively.

On what the SEC had cited as failure to file any investment scam case, Olinares said handling 800 complaints was not an easy job. By next week, he said Anpo’s legal counsel would assist the initial 16 victims in filling a legal suit against the Global Intergold/Emgoldex at the Quezon City Prosecutors Office.