Convicted bank manager elevates estafa case to CA

The former bank manager who was sentenced to 1,228 years in prison for 45 counts of estafa through falsification of public documents has elevated his case to the Court of Appeals.

Antonio Kee Soontit, through his lawyers, informed Regional Trial Court Judge Geraldine Faith Econg that he has decided to elevate the case to the appellate court hoping that it would reverse the RTC decision.

But Econg has still to resolve the pending motion filed by the lawyers of Solidbank, now Metrobank, for the cancellation of Soontit's bail in order for him to be sent to jail.

The bank lawyers argued that since Soontit was already convicted, he is no longer allowed to have a temporary liberty.

Aside from imprisonment, the court also ordered Soontit to reimburse the bank of the P10.8 million that he pocketed from the account of Juanito Go from 1993 to 1995, and another P2 million as litigation expenses.

The bank had already paid Go of the amount pocketed by Soontit, who used to be the manager of Solidbank's Taboan branch. - Rene U. Borromeo/LPM