Salonga son arrested for estafa

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested yesterday a son of former senator Jovito Salonga for a P11-million estafa case filed against him and his father over the sale of a condominium unit in Tagaytay City in 1997.

Esteban Salonga, who lost in the recent gubernatorial race in Rizal, was released several hours later after posting P160,000 bail.

The younger Salonga des-cribed his arrest as a form of “harassment,” noting it was the Silang police in Cavite that served his arrest warrant.

Silang policemen served the arrest warrant issued by Judge Danilo Cruz of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 152 against Salonga at his office at the third floor of Tower B, Goldloop Tower 1 at Goldloop Square in Ortigas Center, Pasig City at 10:30 a.m. yesterday.

The younger Salonga received the arrest warrant in the presence of his lawyer, Roberto Mendoza, said Inspector Abad Bueno of the Silang police.

Accompanied by policemen, Salonga posted bail before the sala of Cruz for the eight counts of estafa. He was released at 3 p.m.

Bueno said they could not serve the arrest warrant against the elder Salonga because of his physical condition.

The Salongas were charged with estafa by a certain Dr. Restituto Buenviaje over an undelivered condo unit in Tagaytay City that the complainant bought on May 29, 1997.