DOJ junks carnapping case against Yanson siblings amid bus firm row

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has dismissed the carnapping case filed against the Yanson Four, siblings in a dispute with their mother and a brother over control of Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI), one of the country’s largest bus liners.

According to Assistant State Prosecutor Eric Opriasa,  the case, filed by VTI, was dismissed for “insufficiency of evidence.”

The case alleged that VTI were parked inside the premises of Dynamic Builders, a company owned by the Yanson siblings’ spouses and children.

But the DOJ decision, which was given to the respondents last June 30, noted that the bus drivers voluntarily parked the buses in the said compound.

The so-called Yanson Four refers to Roy Yanson, Lourdes Celina Yanson-Lopez, Emily Yanson, and Ricardo Yanson Jr.

Ricardo Jr. was indicted, however, for grave coercion and violation of the Public Service Act for the alleged delay in returning the buses to VTI. The DOJ also filed information for falsification and perjury against Emily Yanson.

“According to Y4 lawyers, they will exhaust all available legal remedies including elevating the case for review by the Secretary of Justice,” a statement issued by the Yanson Four said.

This is the latest episode in the Yanson family feud, with the four siblings in a dispute with mother Olivia Yanson and brother Leo Rey Yanson over control of VTI, which is estimated to have at least 4,800 buses in its fleet and over 18,000 employees nationwide.

Leo Rey was ousted as VTI president last July 2019 in a boardroom coup led by his older brother Roy.

However, Leo and Olivia, co-founder of the bus company, insisted that the takeover was illegal and that Leo remained as president.

Last August, Olivia reportedly held a meeting during which a new board of directors was elected.

Last May, a rumor circulated that a Bacolod judge had ordered the arrest of the Yanson Four and their relatives over the dispute.

The Yanson Four lawyers said that the arrest order was not official as the warrants were dated a day after they were actually served.

But the lawyer of Leo Rey, who currently holds the VTI  presidency, insisted that the arrest order was official, adding that the siblings even left the country to evade arrest.

/atm