Furniture maker sues CBCP firms for P20-M

Two Internet companies controlled by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) were sued yesterday to compel them to pay unpaid debts amounting to more than P20 million.

Records at the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court show that furniture maker Spinbase International Corp. has filed a case for the collection of P19,787,644 in unpaid debts from CBCPNET and CBCP World.

Records show CBCPNET was set up by Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III, then CBCP assistant secretary general; Bataan Bishop Honesto Ongtioco; and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a former CBCP president.

After CBCPNET ceased operations, Quitorio, Ongtioco and Cruz set up CBCP World with a new partner, Transpacific Broadcast Group International, according to records.

In a statement, Reynaldo Dizon, lawyer of Spinbase, said CBCPNET had failed to pay P19,787,644 for the modular workstations, office tables and chairs it had delivered to the company.

"Neither CBCP nor CBCPNET had paid for the office furniture even though the P19,787,644 has long been due and demandable," the statement said.

"In fact, sometime in April 2001, (Archbishop) Oscar Cruz, in his capacity as chairman of the board of CBCPNET, sent a fax letter to the president of the plaintiff appealing for some consideration on their due obligation as they were allegedly exerting efforts to source out funding," it added.

However, Dizon said that instead of fulfilling its promise to pay, the CBCP launched another company last May 12, which is known as CBCP World but has the same objectives and functions as CBCPNET.

"The plaintiff (Spinbase) made demands upon the defendants (CBCP and/or CBCPNET) to comply with their obligations under the contract of sale dated Aug. 9, 2000," the statement said.

"However, they have refused and/or failed to comply with our demands," it said.

The case has already been raffled to Judge Dy of Mandaluyong RTC branch 213.