Lawyer charged for fake Stradcom claim

MANILA, Philippines - Criminal charges have been filed before a Quezon City court against a lawyer who had presented himself as an executive of Stradcom Corp., the computerization contractor of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Lawyer Jer Samson was charged with falsification before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 42 in connection with a 2010 general information sheet that he made, signed and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, purportedly on behalf of Stradcom Corp. and the group of Bonifacio Sumbilla as the firm’s alleged “new” stockholders and officers.

The court entered a plea of not guilty for Samson when he refused to do so.

The Court of Appeals recently reaffirmed the ownership and control of Stradcom by the group of businessman Cezar Quiambao, upholding a lower court’s ruling that the case filed by Sumbilla’s group was a nuisance suit. The courts found that Samson, who claimed to be the Sumbilla group’s assistant corporate secretary, is neither an officer nor a stockholder of Stradcom.

Quiambao, president and CEO of Stradcom, reiterated his call for the LTO to withdraw an interpleader case filed by the transport agency with the Quezon City regional trial court.

He said the CA’s decision establishes that his group has lawful control and management of Stradcom and the LTO cannot withhold nearly P4 billion in computer fees it owes Stradcom for two years’ worth of services.