A REAL estate broker here yesterday heaved a sigh of relief after she received a Court of Appeals ruling that upheld the dismissal of a case filed against her for allegedly issuing checks amounting to P7 million.
“I am now vindicated,” said Gemma Pabayo Velasco of Bulua of the CA decision to uphold the dismissal of her 2014 case by Judge Emmanuel Pasal of the Regional Trial Court Branch 38. The 2014 case was filed against her by her former business partner Vicente Tan who accused her of issuing bouncing checks close to P7 million.
The court decision
was made in July 28, 2016 but was elevated to the CA after Pasal denied Tan’s appeal. The CA, she said, subsequently ruled in her favor.
Velasco, a licensed broker for 20 years and owner the GPV Realty, said she just received a copy of the CA’s ruling dated Dec. 7, 2017 through clerk of court Tetesita Rigonan-Marigomen.
In the case, Tan accused Velasco of issuing 28 post-dated checks that lacked funds relative to their involvement in brokering the sale of a 25-hectare property in Sitio Camacawan in Upper Barangay Gusa to the National Housing Authority (NHA) purportedly as resettlement site for Tropical Storm Sendong victims in 2011.
Velasco said the agreement was for her to give Tan P432,000 a month as payment, including a five-percent interest, for his investment. She said she issued 12 checks to Tan amounting to P12 million.
She said Tan became angry when she failed to pay him for three months.
Velasco said there were “minor problems” with the land owner and informal settlers in the area, and she had to spend all her earnings to ensure a clean title.
She said that because of this, she appealed to Tan to be patient because she was willing pay the full amount as soon as NHA released second payment to the land owner.
But Velasco said Tan opted to go to court with a lawsuit against her.
Subsequently, Velasco faced a warrant of arrest order but she was able to post a bail amounting to P40,000 in April 14, 2016.
Now, Velasco said she was contemplating on filing counter-charges against Tan and even another judge who ordered her arrested despite her pending motion. She said she would discuss this with her lawyer.
She said her reputation was tarnished and she was shamed in public but “now, my reputation has been redeemed.”
“For many months, my life was in turmoil. Now, my reputation has been redeemed,” Velasco said. “What hurt me most was the estafa case.”
Velasco said she was very happy she has been vindicated by the CA and a lower court. (advt)
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
