Orient Bank’s Go, two others plead not guilty to estafa charge

Banker Jose Go and two other top officials of the bankrupt Orient Commercial Banking Corp. pleaded not guilty yesterday to a estafa charge through falsification of public documents.

Go and his officials are accused of conspiring in siphoning the bank dry of its funds all amounting P350 million based on the allegations in the pending cases.

Shuffling from one courtroom to another, located on different floors and opposite wings of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) halls, Go Felicitas Nicomedes, and Aida dela Rosa, all pleaded not guilty before Judge Romulo Lopez of RTC branch 34. The three were also scheduled to be arraigned on the same time, with four other accused, before Judge Antonio Eugenio of RTC branch 24 for 24 counts of estafa.

The arraignment before Judge Eugenio, however, did not push through after the seven of the total nine accused asked for a deferment in lieu of a motion for reconsideration they filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ). Judge Eugenio has set the hearing for the motion on Dec. 7.

Sources at the office of Judge Lopez said a similar motion for reconsideration that the accused filed before the DOJ in the case pending before them has been rejected, paving the way for the arraignment. The charge, filed last Sept. 26 by the Manila prosecutor’s office, reportedly involved a P10-million loan made to appear to have been acquired by one of their clients. The company denied ever applying for such a loan.

Another case before a Manila court, this time for seven counts of estafa through falsification of commercial documents, have also been filed against Go, Dela Rosa, and two others, before Judge Guillermo Purganan of RTC branch 42. The case before Judge Purganan is set for arraignment on Jan. 16.

Aside from Go, the president of Orient Bank, and Dela Rosa, the chief operating officer and senior vice-president, the bank’s external vice-president and treasurer Richard Hsu was named in all three cases. A warrant of arrest has been issued by Judge Eugenio against Hsu, along with another bank official Antonio Aragon for their failure to appear. – Jose Aravilla