The Department of Justice. (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer).
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has started the preliminary investigation on the complaint filed by about 470 plan holders against officials of the Abundance Providers and Entrepreneurs Corporation (APEC), previously Pacific Plans Inc. (PPI).
Senior Assistant Prosecutor Ma. Christina G. Juanson and Assistant Prosecutor Ann S. Parong have agreed to set the next hearing on June 14, and instructed respondents to appear and swear in on their counter-affidavits.
Citing the voluminous annexes attached to the complaint that reach up to two feet when stacked, the lawyers of the respondents manifested a motion to seek more time to go over the file, which was later granted by the prosecutors.
The camp of the respondents had been given up to June 28 to submit and swear in on their counter-affidavits.
Respondents are Alfredo J. Non, Glenn Christofferson L. Pangilinan, Felix B. Desiderio, Jr., Gertrudo A. De Leon, Liwayway F. Gener, Emelito A. Licerio, Lamberto D. Villena, Samuel V. Torres, Maribel A. Obidos, Roy G. Padiernos, Ricardo K. Chua, Flor Bella Monina A. Maranon, Ernesto C. Garcia, Alfonso T. Yuchengco, Ambrosio Padilla, George Dee, Jr., Susanne Y. Santos, Helen Y. Dee, Paul Sycip, Edgardo S. Franco, Noli H. Benito, Ramon G. Vizmonte, Ma. Patricia E. Foria, Teodoro D. Banaag, Noel C. Oñate, Virgilio G. Farcon, Rodolfo G. Serrano, Jr., Ronaldo A. Geron, Rita Linda V. Jimeno, Michael T. Toledo, Rodolfo I. Samarista, Rolando I. Gonzalez, Ernesto C. Garcia, Sylvette Y. Taniciang and Danilo P. Francisco.
The owner of RCBC and family patriarch Alfonso T. Yuchengco was also named as a respondent, but he passed away April this year.
None of the respondents appeared during Wednesday’s preliminary investigation, only their lawyers came to receive a copy of the complaint.
Lawyer Joshua Santiago, counsel for complainants Kenneth Lok, Olivia Chua, Sandy Cu, Gloria Saclot, Ruby Litam and more than 400 other complainants said they understand why the DOJ took some time to schedule the hearing after they filed the case considering the number of respondents and cases filed.
“Siguro kasi, makapal, tapos pinadalhan ng subpoena lahat ng mga respondent, so hinintay muna bumalik yung return, para patunayan na natanggap na nila at saka sila nagset ng hearing ngayon na (Maybe because of the volume and the time to take in sending those subpoena to the respondents, so they’ve waited for the proof of receipt before setting the hearing date today),” Santiago said.
Santiago said that they filed 840 counts of “syndicated estafa by means of deceit” followed by 840 counts of “syndicated estafa by abuse of confidence.”
He said that his clients are willing to reach a settlement as the sentiments of the complainants are, they just really wanted to be given what is due to them and they are very much willing to settle.
But he added that up to now, the respondents have yet to even talk to the complainants.
“No offer was made, although they remain open to a possible settlement as long they should be given what is due their investments. They were told when they invested their hard-earned money that if they invest P100,000 in 15 years, it would earn as high as P300,000. That’s what they were asking for,” Santiago added. JPV