A LOCAL court has ordered the suspension of the arrest warrant issued against Cebuana businesswoman Michelle Lim Go-Chu, who has been charged with large-scale estafa cases.
The court also directed the Office of the City Prosecutor of Toledo City to conduct a reinvestigation of the case and submit a report within 60 days.
The order was issued by Judge Judilyn Tapia-Menchavez on Feb. 14, 2023, recalling the arrest warrant issued against Go-Chu and holding in abeyance the request for the issuance of a Hold Departure Order against her.
Earlier, on Jan. 23, 2023, the court had issued a warrant of arrest against Go-Chu and two others, Lorenzo Baltonado Jr. and his wife, Jerlyn Joyce Baltonado, for the charge of large-scale estafa filed by Greentech Land Development Corp. business owner Kaiser Christopher Tan.
However, on Jan. 27, 2023, Go-Chu filed an Extreme Urgent Omnibus Motion, arguing that she was deprived of participating in the preliminary investigation before the City Prosecutor of Toledo City since the subpoena was issued to the wrong address.
Go-Chu’s legal counsel argued that his client’s address, which the complainant gave to the city prosecutor’s office, was incorrect.
Tan’s lawyer, Francisco Amit Jr., however, insisted that the subpoena had been received accordingly.
The court noted that Go-Chu had actively participated in the preliminary investigations on other related complaints filed by Tan in the prosecutors’ offices of the City of Naga, Danao City and Mandaue City.
The court also said that had Go-Chu received a subpoena and been actually notified when the case was still under preliminary investigation, she would have exercised the same vigor in establishing her defense as she had in the other related complaints.
Tan had accused Go-Chu and the Baltonado couple of defrauding him of almost P200 million in an alleged investment scam. Tan said 30 checks issued as payment all bounced.
Meanwhile, the court granted the prosecution’s prayer for issuance of a Hold Departure Order against the Baltonado couple.
Dismissed
Four cases filed by Tan against Go-Chu in different venues have been dismissed by the courts. Estafa cases filed against Go-Chu in Danao City, City of Naga, Mandaue City, and Leyte were all dismissed for lack of probable cause and insufficiency of evidence.