Contractor faces P68 million estafa case

MANILA, Philippines — A major contractor of Okada Philippines is in trouble after a construction firm filed a P68-million estafa case against him before the Pasig City regional trial court.

Ferdinand Topacio, lawyer for Golden Mile Enterprises (GME), said Reynaldo de Jesus, owner of Finmat International Resources Inc. with office address in Barangay Caniogan, Pasig, failed to pay his client despite the delivery of the construction materials.

In a 21-page complaint, Topacio said De Jesus first engaged the services of GME for the supply and application of epoxy injection project worth P2.7 million in May 2016. 

The lawyer said Finmat and GME embarked on more projects until the amount of construction materials delivered by GME reached more than P60 million.

GME said it supplied the materials and performed other works in accordance with the agreement.

However, when the project was completed, GME demanded payment from Finmat but the construction firm’s operation manager, Robert Tayag, reportedly asked for more time because the project owner, Okada, was delayed in payment.

On Sept. 3, 2018, Topacio said Finmat once again refused to settle their financial obligation to GME, saying its collection from Okada remains unpaid.

The GME found out that Okada had paid Finmat, prompting Topacio to file a complaint for estafa against De Jesus. 

The STAR tried but failed to get the reaction of De Jesus on the allegation against his firm.