Family feud over Negros transport firm escalates

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The matriarch of a major transport company in Negros Occidental and its ousted president have expressed dismay over the takeover of the firm’s terminal in this city despite a status quo order issued by the court.

Tension broke out at the Vallacar Transit Inc. Bacolod South Terminal on Saturday when the group of Roy Yanson, newly installed president of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC), deployed new security personnel in the area.

Leo Rey Yanson, who described as illegal his ouster as company president by his siblings Roy, Ricardo Jr., Emily and Celina, said the group also took control of the terminal’s tabulation and cash section.

The YGBC operates more than 4,000 passenger buses in the Visayas and Mindanao. It has 18,000 workers.

On Friday, Judge Eduardo Sayson of the Bacolod Regional Trial Court denied a petition filed by the camp of Roy for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Leo Rey.

Sayson proceeded with the hearing of the siblings’ petition for a preliminary injunction.

Norman Golez, counsel for Leo Rey, said the TRO was denied because the judge did not act on it as required under the rules.

Golez said Sayson allowed the hearing for the preliminary injunction to proceed, wherein Roy’s camp presented its first witness.

Roy and his siblings wanted Leo Rey to stop discharging his functions as president of the YGBC.

Leo Rey has a pending petition for injunction against his siblings to stop them from taking control of the company.

The family matriarch Olivia Yanson and her daughter Ginnette sided with Leo Rey. They said they were surprised by the action taken by the camp of Roy.

Leo Rey said the other branches of the company still recognizes him as president.

The camp of Roy assured the riding public of uninterrupted services and apologized for the inconvenience brought by the change of security personnel at the Bacolod terminal.