Embattled CDC to face raps before ICJ

It looks like the officials of Clark Development Corp. (CDC) will have their hands full dodging lawsuits from disgruntled creditors of Mondragon Leisure and Resorts Corp., former operator of the Mimosa Leisure Estate. Spybiz insiders reported that CCA Holdings B.V., with a claim amounting to $1.68 million as of 1999 for managing the Monte Vista Hotel and the Mimosa Golf and Country Club, is set to file a lawsuit before the International Court of Justice to seek satisfaction and redress for its claim. CDC director Benigno Ricafort has previously claimed that only the four creditor banks were regarded as secured creditors whose claims were considered in the P1.65-billion minimum bid submitted by NTM Jin Hung Corp., a Filipino-Korean joint venture set to take over management of the 215-hectare Mimosa estate. Ricafort’s actuation runs counter to the acknowledgement made by former CDC president Emmanuel Angeles in 2004 that gave merit and validity to CCA Holdings’ claim. Spybiz sources disclosed that the creditor will be hiring top international lawyers for the suit against CDC. This whole mess could once again tarnish the country’s reputation similar to the Piatco fiasco and the Amari bulgari.

Romulo’s woes far from over

Our Spybiz sources reported that the legal team of GSIS is set to file another criminal case against controversial Presidential Adviser Roberto R. Romulo, along with his co-accused Antonio Go, Anthony Conway, Peter Go Pailan and former EPCIB corporate secretary Atty. Nilo Divina in addition to the recent one the GSIS filed before the Department of Justice relative to Romulo’s appointment as an independent director in Equitable PCI Bank (EPCIB). GSIS chief Winston Garcia had alleged that Romulo and his co-accused all conspired to defraud the bank’s stockholders by hiding vital information that may have rendered Romulo unqualified to sit as an independent director. This was in violation of the Securities Regulation Code of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Article 318 of the Revised Penal Code. According to our sources at the GSIS, the state pension fund’s general manager is mandated to protect the interest of GSIS members, and that means protecting the stake of the GSIS shareholders in EPCIB. If the GSIS head fails to do that, he himself could face criminal charges for neglecting to protect the interest of GSIS members and their stake in the bank. In the meantime, if the present case filed by GSIS prospers and goes to trial and Romulo and his co-respondents Go, Conway, Go Pailan and Divina are found guilty – they stand to face the penalty of "arresto mayor and a fine of not less than the amount of the damage caused."

The new Dolphy?

A Spybiz ear-spy overheard several businessmen in an exclusive restaurant talking about Vic Sotto’s new flame, TV personality Pia Guanio. These business honchos were green with envy of the comedian, whom they have dubbed as "the new Dolphy." The big businessmen were wondering what the lanky actor-TV host has that makes him so attractive to women – they concluded that he may have the same "secret charm" as Dolphy.

Spy tidbiz: Look alike socialites

A visiting Fil-American cosmetic surgeon from Los Angeles couldn’t help but notice that several Filipina socialites are beginning to look alike – the same noses, the same height of cheekbones, the same facial features – in short, they obviously go to the same cosmetic surgeon that makes the same cut "off the rack" for these socialites’ "reconstruction" requirements. The visiting cosmetic surgeon said there are now a lot of computer-based technology in the US being used for reconstruction that could give the appropriate kind of lifts, cuts, enhancement and other reconstruction methods best suited to a person’s individual bone structure.

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