AFTER STANDOFF: Police take over Ceres south terminal

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Tension erupted anew on Aug 6, 2019 at the Ceres South terminal here after personnel from the Supervising Office for Security and Investigation Authority (SOSIA) installed a new security agency outfit.

The SOSIA went to the area to redeploy AGNSA Security Agency hired by Leo Rey Yanson amidst his feud with his brother Roy and three other siblings over the control of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC).

The move is deemed as part of Leo Rey’s effort to gain control of the Ceres south terminal.

But personnel of AY Security Agency, which Roy Yanson hired, refused to budge, prompting a standoff between the two parties.

Both Leo Rey and Roy claimed to be the President and CEO of their company.

By past 5 p.m. Tuesday, Bacolod City police officers took over the terminal after AY security personnel left the area.

Atty. Norman Golez, counsel for Leo Rey Yanson, confirmed the standoff between SOSIA and AY Security.

He told reporters that SOSIA revoked its order dated July 17, 2019 by issuing a new one dated Aug 2, 2019 directing AY Security to cease and desist from rendering security services at the terminal.

The same order also directed the AGNSA Security Agency to resume its functions.

Tension first broke out at the south terminal when SOSIA was handed the July 17 order, which led to AY taking over the terminal on July 20, 2019.

Golez said SOSIA revoked its first order after learning of the ongoing court cases between the Yanson siblings.

He also said that he was informed that the camp of Roy Yanson refused to acknowledge the SOSIA order saying that they will wait for a court order.

But Golez pointed out that the SOSIA order is not covered by the pending cases.

He added that neither side to the dispute secured temporary restraining orders against each other.

SOSIA also tried to implement the same order at the Mansilingan Head Office of Vallacar Transit Inc., one of the YGBC subsidiaries, but failed as they were not allowed entry by the security guards.

‘GIMMICK’

In a statement issued Tuesday, the camp of Roy Yanson urged the acting chief of SOSIA “to stand down or face contempt of court charges after allowing his men to be part of an attempt to illegally takeover security services of three bus terminals in Bacolod city.”

In a letter, Atty. Philip Sigfrid Fortun, counsel for Roy Yanson’s faction, urged Police Colonel Michael John Dubria, acting chief of the PNP-SOSIA , to order his men to stand down and leave the terminal premises.

“These PNP personnel do not have a reason to be there, lacking any search or arrest warrant or court order to take over the premises,” the letter reads.

An undetermined number of PNP personnel and members of the SOSIA are now at the company gates of the North Ceres bus terminal in Lacson Street here while others are waiting for orders at the South Bus Terminal along Luzuriaga Streets and the Vallacar Bus Transit (VTI) offices in Mansalingan also in this city.

Dubria’s order, Fortun said, runs counter to the order by Bacolod Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge Eduardo Sayson which presides over the injunction case filed by former bus president Leo Rey Yanson. Yanson is on the warpath after being ousted from his post last July 7.

Atty. Raul Bitoon, company spokesperson, meanwhile, accused Leo Rey Yanson of “orchestrating today’s gimmick.”

Bitoon said cops cannot just effect a takeover of a private facility without just cause. This is patently illegal and sends a wrong signal to the business community.

“These PNP personnel came in here without any court order. They are heavily armed and some are members of the Special Action Force (SAF) whose mandate is counter-insurgency, not to take part in whatever problems our company now face.”

“There are no rebels here, and no commotion, until these members of our local police came. Let me remind these PNP personnel that Ceres bus line is a public utility firm and the law punishes those who will cause disruption in bus operations.”

Bitoon reminded Leo Rey that the courts had denied his appeal for the Temporary Restraining Order which essentially questions the board decision to replace the security agency of the company.

Last July, the board decided to terminate the contract of services by AGNSA due to loss of trust and confidence.

Bitoon urged Leo Rey to respect the decision of the courts, show sincerity and cease from these kinds of gimmicks just to sustain media interest on the on-going row among his siblings.

“This act reportedly of our past president and still board director Leo Rey Yanson is a subversive act that disrespects the law, the courts and a direct contravention of the family constitution which he is a signatory of. “

“It seems that Leo Rey is desperate and probably is enjoying the attention being given to him by the media during these past weeks. That explains today’s gimmickry.”