Bizwoman raps cellular phone shop execs for libel

A businesswoman earlier accused of defrauding a company engaged in the wholesale and retail of cellular phones and prepaid cards of P2 million got back at her accusers and filed a case of libel before the Cebu City Prosecutor's Office.

Delia Simon named Integrated Distribution Network Incorporated owner Salvador Gonzales, his lawyer Janeses Ponce, IDNI finance manager Dianeta Eboran and IDNI distribution manager Ronaldo Chua as respondents of the case.

Simon said that her reputation was besmirched when the respondents accused her of estafa for allegedly issuing four checks amounting to P2 million without sufficient funds.

IDNI officials, who operate Audionet, filed estafa and violation of the Anti-bouncing Check Law against Simon sometime in October last year. Simon allegedly purchased from IDNI 4,000 pieces of P300 Globe prepaid cards, 6,700 pieces P100 Globe cards and 1,000 Touch Mobile prepaid cards last September 28 amounting to P1.9 million. Instead of paying in cash, Simon allegedly issued a personal check but the check was not honored by the IDNI officials. Simon then convinced them by issuing four checks amounting to P2 million with a promise that these would be "in-cleared" the following day and it will not go through the process of a three-day clearing period. However, IDNI officials found out that the account had no funds. Simon was allegedly given enough time to deposit the money but she reportedly ignored the demands of the company.

Simon said that the checks could not have been drawn against her account because it was not hers. Simon said that the checks were under the account of Daisy Bella Constantino, Hospicio Carar and Emmanuel Simon.

She reasoned that despite of this fact, she was still accused of estafa and was subjected to public ridicule by the respondents when they allegedly caused the publication of the case against her. - Fred Languido/QSB