Ongpin seeks dismissal of illegal detention complaint filed by ex-worker

Businessman Roberto Ongpin. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Billionaire businessman Roberto Ongpin asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss the serious illegal detention complaint filed against him by a former employee.

In his counter-affidavit, Ongpin said his former employee, Eduveges Batalan, fabricated the case against him.

Calling Batalan a “disgruntled employee,” he said “after confessing that he had systematically stolen millions from me and from companies I hold interests in and, thereafter, agreeing to full restitution of the embezzled funds, he suddenly decided to evade responsibility for his wrongdoing by fabricating the baseless criminal charges that I and my co-respondents are now faced with.”

In his complaint, Eduveges Batalan who worked for Philweb Corporation, one of Ongpin’s company, said he was taken to Balesin Island Resort on Feb. 4 to make an inventory of wines and olive oils. While in Balesin, Batalan was confronted by allegations that he stole money from Ongpin’s company. He was also questioned how he was able to afford a good house, cars and pharmacy business.

He said “he was threatened to be stuck in the island unless he tells everything.” He said he was tortured to sign an affidavit admitting the allegations. Then, he was asked to draft a resignation letter and open a P5.3 million account at the Bank of Commerce in Makati.

In his counter-affidavit, Ongpin admitted meeting Batalan at the resort last Feb. 4 but the meeting was a coincidence. He said there was no conspiracy to coerce or to detain him.

He said he did not instruct anyone to bring Batalan to him and that he only learned from his executive assistant Josephine Manalo that Batalan was in the resort to make an inventory of his personal collection of wines and other liquor.

“He was always free to leave; in fact I wanted him off the island,” Ongpin said.

While he also admitted asking Batalan about the supposed stealing and after the employee failed to provide a satisfactory answer, Ongpin said he warned Batalan that he will face the full force of the law.

Then, he said he asked resort director Michael Angelo Asperin to take Batalan out of his office.

In fact, Ongpin said, contrary to Batalan’s allegations, it was the employee who was “pleading, practically begging, for my forgiveness” and that he wanted to stay in Balesin in an attempt to settle the matter.

“Batalan’s theory that I supposedly masterminded that purported conspiracy is far from ‘well-founded’ and, thus, falls short of probable cause. This criminal case is just a way for Batalan to escape his responsibilities for theft, a crime which he has admitted as having committed against me and my companies,” he said.

“Complainants have utterly and miserably failed to establish probable cause that I committed any felony in this case I am innocent and this honorable office should spare me the hardship and anxiety of a public trial,”  Ongpin said.

Batalan has until October 9 to submit a reply to Ongpin’s defense and that of his co-respondents.

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