Hearing of cases filed vs. Legacy to be held here

CEBU, Philippines - Prosecutors from the Department of Justice will conduct a hearing in Cebu next week in connection with the syndicated estafa cases filed against Legacy Plans Consolidated Inc. owner, Celso delos Angeles Jr.

Inocencio dela Cerna, legal counsel of Delos Angeles, said that the hearing will start at 2 p.m. in the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office next Friday.

Cebu alone has more than 15,000 Legacy Group planholders and investors who reportedly lost their investments with the controversial company.

To recall, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last February 26 filed with the DOJ its first case of syndicated estafa against Delos Angeles and other officers of the Legacy Group and affiliated companies involving P1 billion siphoned from the Rural Bank of DARBCI, a rural bank with offices in General Santos City and Cebu City. 

This was followed by another case last March 6 against him from the same complainant involving at least P487 million in solicited funds received in trust from depositors/investors of the First Interstate Bank (Rural Bank of Kananga, Leyte) that respondents have willfully, unlawfully and fraudulently misappropriated.

Then last March 24, BSP filed its third case of syndicated estafa before the DOJ against the same respondents for fraudulently siphoning off P500 million in deposits and investments from the Rural Bank of Bais Inc. in Negros Oriental.

Last February 6, BSP also filed with the DOJ cases for 116 counts of falsification of public and commercial documents and two counts of false statements against 18 officers, employees, and agents of four rural banks belonging to the Legacy Group.

BSP had also filed criminal charges against 16 officers, employees and agents of Legacy Group for 49 counts of falsification of public and commercial documents and one case each of false reporting and false statement last January 5.

The BSP, in a press statement, said its lawyers are preparing to file more charges against officers of the Legacy Group. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)