Gatchalians poised to file suit vs lending company

The  family of plastics king and investments tycoon William Gatchalian is studying what course of action to take in court after the businessman was accused by a lending firm of issuing P26 million in bad checks to settle a loan eight years ago.

Ahna Mejia, chief public information officer of Valenzuela City, told the Inquirer that the family was considering the move because the charges filed by Scepter Lending Corp. in  the Manila Prosecutor’s Office Friday were only part of a demolition job aimed at primarily discrediting city mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, son of the respondent.

“There was never a single check they issued that bounced. This was intended to hurt the mayor,” Mejia said.

Earlier, lawyer Jojo Mercado, family counsel of the Gatchalian family, said they were preparing to put up their defense and, “if warranted, will file cases against those who malign and besmirch the name and reputation of the Gatchalian family.”

The family had, so far, kept quiet about filing a complaint.

On Friday, Manila-based Scepter Lending Corp. (formerly Goldmine Lending Corp.), through its vice president for operations, Jose Baizas, filed a complaint against the businessman for violating the bouncing checks law.

Baizas said the business tycoon issued P26 million worth of bad checks from April 2003 to July 2003 to settle a P14-million loan he had obtained from the company.

Baizas added that the complaint stemmed from the respondent’s alleged failure to reply to a demand letter sent on November 15 of this year,  eight years after he allegedly issued the bad checks.