Leo Rey ‘recovers’ control of VTI office

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The lawyer of Leo Rey Yanson said his client has recovered control of the Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) head office in Barangay Mansilingan here on Aug 9, 2019.

The groups of both Leo Rey and Roy are jockeying for control of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC) which includes VTI, the operator of the Ceres Bus Liner, as one of its subsidiaries.

Lawyer Norman Golez said police operatives entered the VTI office by boring a hole into the concrete wall a few feet away from the main gate early Friday morning.

Afterwards, AGNSA security forces as well as police personnel were deployed inside the premises.

Atty. Shiela Sison, lawyer of Roy-led group, condemned what she claimed to be “excessive” use of force in implementing the order to reinstall AGNSA Security by the PNP Supervising Office for Security and Investigative Agencies (SOSIA).

Sison, together with the group, went out for an interview with the media and claimed that the “siege” started at around 3 a.m. Friday.

Roy is reportedly currently in the hospital.

Sison said that, as per their Thursday afternoon agreement, the AGNSA security forces were already installed in front of the main gate.

Golez claimed that the actions of the police are merely part of the implementation of SOSIA’s order.

He added that placing the AGSNA security forces in front of the gate is not in consonance with the order as it was stated that they will be installed in the premises, and not only in the  perimeter of the VTI head office.

Golez also said that the pending court case filed by his client has nothing to do with the enforcement of the SOSIA order.

Sison had said that court cases should first be resolved before Leo Rey made his moves.

The case filed by Leo Rey questioned the July 7, 2019 board meeting led by Roy, Celina, Emily, and Ricardo Jr. Yanson where they ousted their youngest brother.

Golez said that Leo Rey, being the rightful owner, has to recover the buildings inside the premises along with the re-installation of the security forces.

Sison, who also contended that her clients are the rightful owners, questioned why the management representing her clients were being made to leave the office.

 

PAID HOLIDAY

After the PNP and the AGNSA retook the VTI head office, no employees were allowed inside.

Leo Rey then issued a memorandum declaring a paid holiday.

“In order to orderly and peaceful turnover of VTI Bacolod Head Office in Mansilingan, I as President and CEO, declares this day, August 9, 2019, a paid holiday for employees of VTI head office in Mansilingan.”

The memorandum also stated that “all employees of the Head Office are instructed not to stay within the company premises and are advised to be with their families and take this opportunity to spend quality time with them.”

The memo also instructed all non-employees to step out.

Emily, Celina and Ricky Jr. left the VTI office 12 Noon August 9, 2019 after the electricity and water supply were cut off.