Delfin Lee seeks dismissal of P6.6-B estafa suit

MANILA, Philippines – Jailed property developer Delfin Lee has sought the dismissal of the P6.6-billion syndicated estafa case filed against him and other executives of Globe Asiatique (GA).

Rony Garay, lawyer for Lee, said yesterday apart from the decisions of the Court of Appeals (CA) and Makati City regional trial court  (RTC) clearing Lee of the charges, the Home Mutual Development Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) and Office of the Solicitor General have admitted no such amount of losses was incurred by the government through housing loans.

“The P6-billion housing scam is an outright lie. Lee’s continued detention is a clear case of injustice,” Garay told reporters.

The camp of Lee asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the petitions of Pag-IBIG Fund and the Department of Justice justifying the syndicated estafa case filed against the GA executives before the Pampanga RTC.

Garay urged the high court to uphold the earlier rulings of the CA and Makati RTC clearing Lee of the charges.

The Pag-IBIG Fund had earlier alleged that it suffered losses in the amount of P6.6 billion in housing loans.

Garay noted that Pag-IBIG Fund president and chief executive officer Darlene Berberabe admitted during the Senate hearing on April 13, 2015 that GA did not obtain the P6.6-billion loan from the agency.

On the contrary, Garay said it is GA that has receivables of P600 million from Pag-IBIG Fund.

“The amount is more than enough to pay off the alleged P18 million claims of 28 other complainants,” he said.

Garay said as early as April 2013, Pag-Ibig Fund could not justify during the hearings of the case why it has not filed a suit against GA for the collection of the alleged losses.

After more than six years, the respondents have not received any demand letter or summons for the payment of the claims.

“Besides, there can be no damage on the part of the petitioner because it is secured by the collateral house units at the Xevera Bacolor and Mabalacat housing projects,” Garay said.