Such was the question raised Saturday by the family of mogul William Gatchalian in response to a charge filed on Friday afternoon by a lending firm before the Manila city prosecutor’s office accusing the tycoon of allegedly issuing bad checks eight years ago.
The Gatchalians maintained that the charge filed by Scepter Lending Corp. is “obviously an orchestrated early demolition job created by their political opponents” and is aimed at tarnishing the Gatchalian family name.
In a statement, the Gatchalian family counsel Atty. Jojo Mercado denied that the Wellex group chair violated Batas Pambansa Blg. 22 or the bouncing checks law. “They (the Gatchalian family) maintain that throughout their family’s history, they have not issued a bounced check, whether corporate or personal,” he said.
Gatchalian, he pointed out, is yet to receive an official copy of the complaint and questioned the allegedly “malicious timing” of its filing. Mercado claimed that the charge was intentionally filed with the city prosecutor’s office on a Friday to deprive the tycoon of an opportunity to refute the complaint or explain his side.
The family also assailed the belated filing of the charge with the complainant’s claim that the alleged crime was committed in 2003.
“Based from their (Gatchalian group) records, a demand was issued sometime in October 2011 for P10 million only and not P26 million. The said amount was already partially settled and the transaction was done in order to accommodate a certain Mr. Lee,” Mercado revealed.
He further stated, “The lawyers are already preparing and will definitely reply and put up their defense on this case once they get hold of the copy of the complaint and if warranted, will file cases against those who malign and besmirch the name and reputation of the Gatchalian family.”
The lawyer assured that the “unfortunate and baseless accusation” will not derail the Gatchalian family from serving their constituents in Valenzuela City.
On Friday the Manila-based Scepter Lending Corp. (formerly the Goldmine Lending Corp.), represented by its vice president for operations Jose Baizas, lodged a charge of eight counts of violation of BP 22 before the city prosecutor’s office alleging that Gatchalian issued from April, 2003 to July, 2003 some P26 million worth of bounced checks to settle a P14-million loan from the company.
Baizas claimed that the checks were not honored by the bank for reason of “payment stopped” and that the lending firm was compelled to file a complaint against Gatchalian when he allegedly failed to respond to a demand letter sent to him on Nov. 15 this year, more than eight years after the alleged issuance of the checks.