Gov't to appeal estafa case vs Globe Asiatique official

MANILA -- Housing lawyers have been tasked to appeal the Court of Appeals ruling that dismissed the syndicated estafa case against an executive of housing developer Globe Asiatique (GA).

Vice President Jejomar Binay gave the directive on Thursday after the CA Special 10th Division delisted GA documentation head Christina Sagun in the syndicated estafa case filed by the Department of Justice.

Binay is the chairman of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Board of Home Development Mutual (Pag-Ibig) Fund.

Sagun, together with GA owner Delfin Lee and three others, was charged with the non-bailable offense after the realty firm was found allegedly using "ghost borrowers" and fake documents to obtain over P6.5 billion in loans from Pag-Ibig.

With this, the CA said the four will only be charged with simple estafa since it takes five people acting in conspiracy for a syndicated estafa to prosper.

The downgraded charges will also allow Lee, who has gone into hiding, to post bail for his temporary liberty while the case is being heard.

HUDCC Assistant Secretary Danilo Subido described the CA's decision as "hollow victory" for GA, saying that the Pampanga Regional Trial Court had already issued arrest warrants for the five accused.

The government has offered a reward of P2 million for the arrest of Lee. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)