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Globe Asiatique head faces new syndicated estafa raps


The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) its third syndicated estafa complaint against Globe Asiatique owner and real estate developer Delfin Lee and eight others. In a letter addressed to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula said there was basis to prosecute Lee and the eight others over the supposed double sale of properties in Xevera Homes in Mabalacat town, Pampanga. The latest syndicated estafa charges were based on separate complaints filed by Jennifer Gloria, Ferdinand de Guzman, Gina Babula, Fatima Kanoya, Arlene Arca, and the Pag-IBIG (Home Mutual Development) Fund represented by Emma Linda Faria. The private complainants were supposedly duped into buying the properties from Lee's Globe Asiatique Realty Holdings. They said the properties they bought were in fact already sold to other Pag-IBIG borrowers. Lee had repeatedly denied committing any anomalous transactions. The DOJ has been conducting a preliminary investigation of two syndicated estafa charges filed against Lee and several others. The preliminary probe aims to determine whether there is probable cause to file charges against the suspects. Once probable cause is established, the DOJ then files the case before the appropriate court. Syndicated estafa is a non-bailable offense. Aside from Lee, those named on the charge sheet in the latest complaint were Globe Asiatique employees Jacqueline Magsumbol, Christina Sagun, Jacqueline Gamboa, Helen Dizon, Elmer Nunag, Desiree Joy David, Nanette Rose Haguiling, and Atty. Alex Alvarez, manager of Pag-IBIG's foreclosure department. String of syndicated estafa raps The first syndicated estafa complaint was filed in October 2010 by the NBI, the Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). They accused Lee and 16 others of allegedly taking out at least P6.6 billion in housing loan proceeds for clients of its housing projects in Pampanga. Of 9,951 alleged Pag-IBIG borrowers in the Globe Asiatique deals, 1,000 could not be located, 400 were denied applying for housing loans, and 200 had incomplete documents for the transaction, according to the NBI. The second complaint, filed in December 2010, delved into the alleged double sale of properties in Xevera Homes. Third complaint In the third and latest complaint, the NBI said Globe Asiatique client Jennifer Gloria reserved a unit in Xevera Homes in September 2009, with a P10,000 reservation fee. Gloria was allowed to occupy her unit in February 2010 and was told that her loan application with Pag-IBIG will be processed within three to six months. The NBI quoted her as saying that she submitted the pertinent documents to Xevera employees. However, "it came to her knowledge that her documents were never forwarded to Pag-IBIG with no explanation from Xevera or Globe Asiatique, thus, the loan application was not processed," the NBI said. She continued paying P5,721 a month “until she learned that the unit she purchased... was named under a certain Mayormita, Sheryl Ramos and Araneta, Yvone Marie Ferrera." Another buyer, Ferdinand de Guzman, paid Xevera a P20,000 reservation fee in June 2009 and an equity of P63,000 five months later. After the payment, de Guzman paid his monthly amortization of P36,220. “It was in September when he discovered about the anomaly in Xevera project through his neighbors. He inquired... with Xevera and was able to talk to Ms. Helen Dizon who told him that his unit was clean and there was no other buyer for the said unit," the NBI said. Despite this assurance, De Guzman consulted with Pag-IBIG in Pampanga, where he learned that the Xevera Homes unit he purchased “was already in the name of a certain Alvarado, Martie Samson David." Other buyers, Gina Babula, Fatima Kanoya, Arlene Arca, were also victims of the alleged "double sale" scheme. — JE/OMG, GMA News

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