Yanson siblings score as prosecutor affirms dismissal of trespassing case

MANILA, Philippines — The so-called Yanson Four, siblings involved in a family dispute for control of Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI), has scored another legal victory with the Office of the Regional Prosecutor affirming the dismissal of a trespassing case filed against them by their own mother, Olivia Yanson.

The resolution upholding the dismissal of the case was issued on June 3, lawyer Carlo Joaquin Narvasa said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

“The Office of the Regional Prosecutor held that there was no reason to reverse the findings of the City Prosecutor of Dumaguete City, and noted that the purpose of preliminary investigation is to secure the innocent against hasty, malicious and oppressive prosecution,” Narvasa noted.

The Yanson Four is composed of Roy Yanson, Ricardo Yanson Jr., Ma. Lourdes Celina Yanson-Lopez, and Emily Yanson. They are recurrently locked in a battle for control of VTI, which operates one of the country’s largest transport companies, with a fleet of 4,800 buses and over 18,000 employees nationwide.

In her trespassing complaint, Olivia Yanson accused the siblings of trespassing into a property that she and her husband, the late Ricardo Yanson Sr., owned.

However, the prosecutors deemed that the siblings could not be said to have trespassed the property as it was VTI — where the Yanson Four have a stake — that had been using it.

The decision also noted that the death of Ricardo Yanson Sr. meant that his children became co-owners of the property.

“Due to this, as well as the pending intra-corporate case in Bacolod City, it cannot rule on the Y4 or their representatives being stripped of their authority to enter it,” the statement read.

“Meanwhile, as for the charge that the Y4 should be liable for the change of security personnel in the property, the Regional Prosecutor averred that such ‘issue involves administrative and managerial protocols which this Office has no basis to tackle without any evidence or legal basis to begin with’,” it added.

This is the latest victory for the Yanson Four.  Last July, the Department of Justice junked carnapping and other cases filed against the four for insufficiency of evidence.

In July 2019, Leo Rey was ousted as VTI president in a boardroom coup led by his older brother Roy.  However, Leo and matriarch Olivia, who also co-founded the company, insisted that the takeover was illegal and that Leo should remain as president.

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

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