Man links Legacy Group’s De los Angeles to 'syndicate'

(Updated 2:10 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines – A man accused of extorting money from Legacy Group owner Celso de los Angeles Jr. denied Monday the controversial businessman's allegations and instead turned the tables on his accuser. In a letter sent to the House committee on banks and financial intermediaries, Ramon Diño of the Legacy Group Citizens' Crime Watch Center said De los Angeles is a member of a syndicate that has links with several government agencies. "This group is no ordinary syndicate. They are extremely intelligent, morally deprived and ruthless, and well-connected individuals. We should never never underestimate their clout and connections," Diño said. Diño said he is "morally convinced" that the "criminal syndicate" is composed of De los Angeles, his inner core of Legacy group officers, and high-ranking government officials from the Monetary Board, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. He added that the so-called syndicate also includes members of Congress, of the judiciary, of the National Bureau of Investigation, and of the military and the police. Attached to Diño's letter is a 40-page sworn statement dated Feb. 12, 2009 "stating practically all that I (Diño ) know about Mr. Celso de los Angeles Jr., and his corporate conglomerate and syndicated swindlers." In a Senate hearing early this month, De los Angeles claimed Diño tried to extort money from him. At the resumption of the House's hearing on the Legacy Group's controversy Monday, De los Angeles maintained his allegations against Diño, who he said had tried to extort money from him twice. The businessman also said that he has pictures to prove Diño was arrested by operatives from the Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in an entrapment operation a few years ago. "He has always been demanding money, your honor," De los Angeles said. Derogatory information He said Diño tries to extort money before distributing "derogatory information" against Legacy Group's banks. He added that he sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation the first time Diño supposedly attempted to extort money, of which a case is now pending in a Makati City court. At another time, Diño "again demanded payment or else he would again come out and do what he did - distribute derogatory information regarding the banks and myself," said De los Angeles. He said, that was the time he sought the CIDG's help. For his part, House panel chair and Manila Rep. Jaime Lopez said Diño will be invited in the next hearing to substantiate his claims. But Diño said in his letter that he was "not inclined to attend any investigation hearing on the matter. "As much as possible, I do no want to testify before the Senate, the House of Representatives, or in any other forum since this will just accelerate whatever evil plans my enemies have of me. I am providing you these documents to enable you to appreciate that facts of this multi-billion scam better all in aid of your work as legislator," Diño said. The spate of closures of rural banks under the Legacy Group had prompted the House to conduct a probe into the matter. The string of closures of the company's pre-need firms is also the subject of a Senate inquiry. - Johanna Camille Sisante with a report from Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV