CUENCA, Batangas – THE businessmen couple who are prime suspects in a celebrated P5-billion investment scam in Lipa City and are wanted for Syndicated Estafa were arrested by elements of Cuenca Municipal Police Station in Occidental Mindoro last Thursday evening, June 12.
THe suspects properly identified as Ronald Robles Rivera, 34 and Shielan Criscel Dimaano Rivera, 34, both of Villa Rosa Subd., Antipolo del Norte, Lipa City, were apprehended around past 9:00 o’clock in the evening by a team led by Police Major Charlie Reyes, acting Chief of Cuenca Police in their rented house at Barangay Poblacion, Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro.
Prior to the operation, Reyes team received an information that the couple hiding thereat were wanted for Violation of Syndicated Estafa under Art. 315, Par 2(A) of Revised Penal Code in relation to Sec. 1 of PD 1689.
Armed with a Warrant of Arrest issued by Presiding Judge Ma. Ludmila de Pio Lim of Regional Trial Court – NCR Branch 253 Las Pinas City, Police Major Reyes’ team promptly travelled to Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro upon receipt of the information. Together with the teams of the Regional Intelligence Division of PNP-MIMAROPA led by PMSG Anton C. Cambay and of PCPT Dennis C. Tariga, chief of Calintaan Municipal Police Station, immediately proceeded to the rented house of the suspects after confirming their whereabouts.
After the arrest, PMajor Reyes and his team immediately travelled back to Batangas, together with the arrested couple and arrived at the Cuenca Municipal Police Station past 5:00 o’clock in the morning of June 13.
It can be recalled that last February 16, 2023, a group of supposed victims led by Punumbrangay Ariel Mantuano of Brgy. Malagunlong, Lipa City, asked the assistance of former Undersecretary Meynard A. Sabili to bring to the attention of the Department of Justice the said investment scam.
Accused of illegal collecting of investments were properly identified as Engr. Ronald R. Rivera, the president and CEO of Rivercom Construction Development, Inc., his wife Shielan Crisel Rivera, and some unidentified cohorts.
“Hindi ko akalaing lolokohin kami ng ganito ng taong ito dahil inaanak ko pa siya sa kasal,” [I didn’t expect that we will be foresaken like this, I’m even his wedding prinsipal sponsor], Mantuano said.
For Engr. Jaypee Mantuano, nephew of Kap. Ariel and former schoolmate of Rivera, he can’t understand how Rivera manged to pool them with the big investment that his family poured in Rivera’s business.
With the arrest of the Rivera couple, Engr. Mantuano said they are optimistic that justice will soon be achieved and they are will keep an eagle’s eye on the progress of the case against the accused.
According to Engr. Mantuano, they were first lured to invest in Rivera’s buisness as early as January of 2021. At first, they received 10% interest in their investments which escalated to 25%. But years after, the checks issued by Rivera started to bounce and the problem filed up until the Rivera’s cut their communication.
The younger Mantuano showed several checks amounting to P1-million, P40-million, P75-million, which all bounced back.
Stocks certificates were also issued by Rivercom but Kap Ariel said that they later found out that Rivercom was not authorized by the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue stock certificates.
KABAYAN News tried to hear Rivera’s comment on the allegations but the copule refused to show up from their Detention Cell at the Cuenca Municipal Police Station.|- Joenald Medina Rayos & Jayson D. Aguilon / BNN
