MANILA, Philippines – The Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed with finality the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to dismiss the complaint filed by the “Yanson 4” siblings against their mother, Olivia, and other siblings related to their dispute on the ownership of their bus company.
The Yanson 4 siblings — Roy Yanson, Emily Yanson, Ma. Lourdes Celina Yanson-Lopez, and Ricardo Yanson Jr. — had filed a qualified theft, falsification, and perjury complaint against their mother and other siblings, Ginnette Yanson Dumangcas and Leo Rey, and others.
The CA said in a 22-page ruling that the four failed to present new arguments that would overturn the court’s September 30, 2024 decision to dismiss their complaint.
“Without any new cogent of plausible justification raised in the present motion for reconsideration, the Court sees no reason to reverse its decision,” said the CA’s ruling, which was penned by Associate Justice Emily San Gaspar-Gito.
The Yanson 4 sought to reverse Guevarra’s resolutions dated April 28, 2022 and June 29, 2022, which found no probable cause to have their mother, siblings Ginette and Leo Rey, among others, for the offenses. The CA in September 2024 backed the DOJ’s decision to dismiss their complaint after failing to support their claims.
The family fell apart after the death of the Yanson patriarch, Ricardo, on October 25, 2015. He, along with his wife Olivia, founded the now 52-year-old Vallacar Transit Incorporated (VTI) — one of the largest bus transit companies in the country with a fleet of over 4,000 buses and 18,000 employees operating behind the scenes. It is part of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies.
The company scores over P15 billion in annual revenues.
Yanson 4 claimed that a special board meeting was held on July 7, 2019, where their sibling Leo Rey was removed as president due to loss of trust and confidence. During the meeting, the board also elected the Yanson 4 as the new officers — Roy as president, Emily as corporate secretary, Celina as treasurer, and Ricky as vice president for maintenance.
They noted that collectively, they are the majority stockholders of VTI, owning 61.16% of the total issued and subscribed shares.
But over a month later on August 19, 2019, Leo Rey also called for a special stockholder’s meeting to elect a new board of directors and corporate officers. This new set was reflected in the October 11, 2019 General Information Sheet of VTI, which would be what the Yanson 4 would claim as “false entries” — but the CA would note that these are “essentially truthful in the sense that they were based on actual events that transpired…”
The Yanson 4 also claimed that mother, Olivia, waived her rights, title, and interests in Ricardo’s estate — including the shares in VTI. However, the respondents noted that Ricardo’s estate had not been settled and Olivia did not give up her shares in VTI, claiming that her VTI shares were fraudulently transferred to her children with the help of their family lawyer.
In the DOJ resolutions, the department dismissed the Yanson 4’s complaint, noting that aside from failing to prove that theft, falsification, and perjury happened, the issues “are in the nature of intra-corporate disputes, which are beyond its jurisdiction.” — Rappler.com