Estafa raps vs. Joy Ouano

CEBU - The Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office has filed two counts of criminal cases for estafa against former Mandaue City Councilor Jovita “Joy” Ouano for allegedly issuing checks amounting to almost P300,000 without sufficient funds in the bank.

Cebu City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon approved the filing of the case before the Regional Trial Court and recommended P30,000 bail for Ouano’s temporary liberty.

Ouano, barangay captain of Opao, Mandaue and whose election as president of the Association of the Barangay Councils is still being contested before the court, allegedly issued two Pen Bank checks to Marife Geraldez-Oon in September and October 2006.

The checks amounting to P140,000 and P130,000, respectively, bounced when the complainant deposited it for insufficiency of funds.

In her complaint, Oon claimed that she had a transaction with Ouano sometime in the last week of August wherein the accused obtained a loan from her.

As a guarantee of payment Ouano issued two post-dated checks.

But, the checks were allegedly dishonored by the bank for reasons that the funds were insufficient and the other account was closed. Oon said she made a demand to Ouano sometime in December 2007 but the latter allegedly refused to pay.

Ouano, in her counter affidavit, denied having an obligation to the complainant.

While she admitted having obtained a loan from the complainant, she claims to have already paid such.

Ouano contended that the checks were issued in good faith but she allegedly failed to get it after she fully paid the loan.

Ouano presented at least four deposit slips she allegedly made with Banco de Oro. — Fred P. Languido/NLQ(THE FREEMAN)