Almost 500 File Estafa Cases vs. Pre-Need Company
Almost 500 plan holders of the now defunct Pacific Plans Inc. (PPI) trooped to the Department of Justice office to file 1,600 counts of estafa against the pre-need company, GMA News’ Marisol Abdurahman reported on “State of the Nation with Jessica Soho” on Monday.
Among the complainants were senior citizens who were relying on their pre-need plan as a source of retirement pension.
It was in 2005 that Pacific Plans closed down due to bankruptcy. There were plan holders who were unable to get back the money they invested in the pre-need company.
A complaint, which was filed against the Yunchengco family, the owner of Pacific Plans Inc and company officials, stated that the company has no basis in claiming it was bankrupt based on the financial audit prepared by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In 2009, Pacific Plans was sold and has been renamed Apec Plans.
In 2013, the DOJ dismissed the complaint filed against the Yuchengcos and officials of the company.
“Dugo at pawis ang ipinuhunan namin dun! Ibalik nyo pera namin!” said plan holder Mariz Al Twal.
“Ninakawan, ‘yan ang gusto namin ipadala. More emphatic, nakaw sa aming pinag-iipunan,” said Lourdes Mayuro, another plan holder.
The two women are two of about 500 plan holders who went to the DOJ on Monday to file syndicated estafa charges against the pre-need company.
According to Atty. Joshua Santiago, the lawyer for the planholders, his clients filed 800 of each kind of estafa and 77 counts of another kind of estafa.
“Ngayon ang inanalok, na-approve ang rehab plan. Sunog na yung capital tapos ito lang ang ibibigay nila, 1 to 2 percent (of the capital),” he said.
GMA News went to the office of Pacific Plans in Legaspi Village in Makati.
However, by 4 p.m. the office was already closed and the news team was told that there is no one available who can speak in behalf of the company.
The investment made in Pacific Plans is estimated to be P30 billion.
“We are focusing all our efforts to delivering this case to court and getting the justice the disenfranchised plan holders deserve,” explains Santiago in a press statement. — with Virgil Lopez/BAP GMA News
(Source: GMAnetwork.com)