Gozon open to amicable settlement with Ang

MANILA, Philippines - GMA Network Inc. chairman and chief executive officer Felipe Gozon is open to a settlement with businessman Ramon S. Ang following the failed buy-in talks in the network.

Despite the syndicated estafa case filed against Gozon and eight other officials of GMA by Ang, the official said yesterday he would be open to any reasonable proposal for settlement with Ang.

“In spite of all of this, we are open to a reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement,” he said.

Gozon said he never expected Ang would file charges against him and other officials of the network.  “I would just like to say that I never thought he would file an estafa case because estafa is a criminal case that involves deceit and fraud. I can’t see any deceit or fraud we committed,” he said.

Ang filed syndicated estafa charges against Gozon and other officials of the network following the failure to return the P1 billion down payment made by the businessman for a planned purchase of shares in the media company.

The downpayment was not returned even as talks for the supposed purchase of shares by Ang in GMA have already been terminated.

In his complaint, Ang claimed all the elements of estafa were present in the case - money received in trust or under obligation to return it; misappropriation or conversion of such money by the offender; prejudice or damage and demand.

Gozon said, however, the downpayment should remain in his custody to answer for claims for damages against Ang for opportunity loss, pursuant to law and the Term Sheet entered into by the parties.

For his part, Ang said in a statement it would be best for matters raised by Gozon to be addressed in court.

While Gozon claims there is no estafa, Ang said the GMA official has reinforced the complaint.

“First he received the P1 billion for the Gozon group and in trust for Duavit and Jimenez groups. Yet, notwithstanding the directive of the Duavit and the Jimenez groups, he still refuses to return the money or any portion thereof and instead appropriated the entire P1 billion all for his own and for the Gozon group,” Ang said.

While the money is in the bank, the bank account is under Gozon’s name and is under his full control to the exclusion of everybody else.