SC affirms ruling vs Lee’s petition on estafa case

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed its ruling last April denying the plea of Globe Asiatique president Delfin Lee for oral argument on his petition to stop his indictment on syndicated estafa charges for the allegedly anomalous housing projects in Pampanga worth P6.6 billion.

In last Tuesday’s session, SC justices decided to deny the motion for reconsideration filed by the detained businessman for lack of merit.

The SC did not buy the claim of the petitioner that there is “compelling need to set the consolidated cases for oral argument” and that this was necessary “in order to simplify the intricate issues brought about by the different facts and grounds relied upon by the parties in each of the petition.”

Lee, in his appeal filed through lawyer Rony Garay, said only through oral arguments could the “public be truly enlightened,” more so now in light of the Senate committee on housing’s recent decision to indefinitely postpone its hearings inquiring into the controversy.

In particular, he wanted to resolve three issues on his cases. First is the finality of the decision of Makati City regional trial court Branch 58 finding the Home Development and Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) liable for breach of contract.

Second is the deprivation of his right to liberty due to the temporary restraining orders issued by the SC on his cases considering that the warrant of arrest against him was already lifted by a Pampanga regional trial court.

Third is the validity of court proceedings when the Court of Appeals (CA) already voided the syndicated estafa charges against him.

Lee also reiterated that the allegations against him were “fabled by” Pag-IBIG.

He further argued that Pag-IBIG could not participate in the syndicated estafa case now pending before the Pampanga regional trial court because it has not paid the required filing fee of P130 million.