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Friday, July 07, 2006
Ex-beauty queen sues Estrada, 7 others for 'estafa'
MANILA -- Former beauty queen Joelle Marie Pelaez on Thursday filed estafa charges against former President Joseph Estrada for alleged fraud and other machinations that resulted in her loss of some P20 million worth of property.
Also charged were several top executives of the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) and San Miguel Corporation (SMC), the country's largest food and beverage company.
Pelaez charged Estrada and seven others before Makati City Assistant Prosecutor Gaudencio Toledo Jr. with estafa or violation of Article 318 of the Revised Penal Code.
Also respondents in the case were SMC executives Ramon Ang, Alfredo Bautista, Geronimo Kilayko, Pia Guada, and Yvette Cruz and former UCPB executives Lorenzo Tan and Rafael Bueno Jr.
The former beauty queen said Estrada and the other respondents "conspired and confederated in maliciously and feloniously" divesting her and her mother, Blanqueta, of condominium certificates of title by means of deceit. She said the former President started and masterminded the whole thing when he tried to woo her with expensive gifts and deals that were subsequently seconded by Ang, Guada, Cruz, and Bautista.
She added that Estrada's machinations and deception led to the loss of their two condominium units worth P20 million.
Pelaez's lawyer, Crisostomo Akol, said the charges are actual facts that involved the forging by Estrada allies of his client's signature in various transactions.
"These are facts which will prove how they were able to forge my client's signature and used it in processing illegal transactions," Akol said.
Pelaez on Wednesday also filed forgery charges against Tan and Bueno before the Pasig City Prosecutor's Office.
Akol said Tan was then UCPB president while Bueno was the vice president when Pelaez became the bank's client. "All my client want to do is clear her name and see to it that justice is given her and her mother," he said. (AH/Sunnex)
(July 7, 2006 issue)
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