DOJ suspends probe on Legacy group owner

CEBU, Philippines – The Department of Justice has suspended the preliminary investigation of the criminal charges for estafa against the owner of the beleaguered Legacy Group of Companies because of the failure of the complainants to pay the required filing fees.

The DOJ panel of prosecutors headed by Emilie Fe Delos Santos granted Celso Delos Angeles’ motion to suspend the preliminary investigation after it established that the plan holders who are the complainants against the respondent have not paid the more than P1 million filing fee.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas acted as the complainant on behalf of the plan holders but the DOJ panel ruled that the BSP is not the complainant. According to the panel, the corresponding legal fees should be made by the plan holders.

The panel said that the total claims is P191,979,050.80 which requires a P1.9-million filing fee.

The panel said that the complainants are not among those persons who are exempted from the filing fees because they are not indigents as mandated under Department circular No. 42. The litigants are given 15 days to settle the required filing fees before the panel resumes the preliminary investigation.

On the other hand the panel dismissed the motion filed by Delos Angeles seeking for the dismissal of the case. In denying the motion to dismiss, the panel said that it is still premature to ask for the dismissal of the complaint.

Several plan holders of the Legacy Plans who were duped into investing the “double your money” scheme of the company sued Delos Angeles after the latter failed to return their investment. — Fred P. Languido/BRP (THE FREEMAN)