LEGACY PRESIDENT Celso delos Angeles, who is facing grand estafa at the Regional Trial Court Branch 12 here, pleaded “not guilty” during his arraignment this Friday, August 27.
Delos Angeles was represented in Court by the Escalon Law Office “only for the arraignment” and reportedly told Judge Clinton Nuevo that he came to Court even if he was sick, to prove his innocence.
The Legacy Group of Companies owner is currently in hospital detention, after he was moved to the OSPA-Farmers Medical Center when his tubes got infected while on transit to the sub-provincial jail here. Delos Angeles is suffering from Stage 4 tonsillar cancer.
He is also asking the Court to return him to the St. Luke’s Medical Center. His motion was heard on Tuesday, August 24. Dr. Chunito Yu was presented as witness being his attending physician at the OSPA-FMC.
The Legacy boss said that he was at St. Luke’s also on hospital detention, where he was allowed to stay by three other judges previously, when the police arrested him on the strength of the Ormoc warrant.
Atty. Carl Magsoling, clerk of court, said Judge Nuevo has yet to rule on Delos Angeles’ appeal to be transferred back to St. Luke’s. Judge Nuevo has reportedly ordered the provincial attorney to comment on the motion, whether it can afford to transport delos Angeles and assign a provincial guard to watch over him at St. Luke’s.
During his arraignment, there were a few of Legacy’s victims who were observing the proceedings. One, who asked not to be named, said he did not lose much but was just curious where the case would end.
The Ormoc Court has ordered the arrest of delos Angeles for allegedly duping clients of the First Interstate Bank, the head office of which is based in Kananga, Leyte, with their “double your money” schemes and car loans which did not only guarantee the loaner a car, but his money back also in five years. Some P487-million was reportedly lost in the scams.
He, together with Legacy executives, are also facing similar charges in various courts for separate complaints involving the bankrupt Legacy plans.
Also named as co-respondents to delos Angeles were Alexis S. Petralba of Echavez Street in Cebu City; Namnama Pasetes of Project 6, Quezon City; Carolina Hinola of Goodwill Homes in Quezon City; Roy Hilario of Makati City; Virgilio Odejar of Quezon City; Atty. Christine Antenor Cruz-Limpin of Mandaluyong City and Arnel Sulquiano of Quezon City.
Atty. Magsoling said that except for Atty. Christine Antenor Cruz-Limpin of Mandaluyong, all others are expected to be arrested soon. Except for delos Angeles who did not contest the Ormoc complaint, the others have filed motions for reconsideration with the Department of Justice but these have been denied already as of August 6, he said.
Judge Nuevo, on the other hand, has not granted their motions to file petitions for review. By Lalaine M. Jimenea
Legacy prexy delos Angeles pleads “not guilty” to grand estafa charge
