‘Yanson 4’ says frustrated murder raps baseless

By: Dolly Yasa

Bacolod City – Yanson siblings Roy, Ricardo, Jr., Emily and Celina (Yanson 4) slammed the frustrated murder charges filed against them as “baseless and totally fabricated.”

Atty. Raul Bitoon, counsel and spokesperson for the four Yanson siblings, said Wednesday that his clients and their legal counsels have yet to receive any communication, document and or complaint in connection with the supposed charges.

Bitoon said a mere cursory reading of what was posted on social media and media outfits “show that it is readily apparent that the charges were based solely and exclusively on surmises and conjectures as the alleged role of the ‘Yanson 4’ were based only on ‘presumptions’ and should not even be dignified with a reply.”

He added that serious charges like murder “should be based on clear and credible evidence as to amount to the existence of probable cause and should not be anchored solely on presumptions, surmises, and conjectures” to hurdle the Office of the City Prosecutor.

Earlier, Cirilo Alingasa, an employee of Vallacar Transit Inc (VTI) that operates the Ceres bus liners, filed frustrated murder and serious physical injury charges against the Yanson 4 and several others.

Alingasa claimed he was injured when supporters of the Yanson 4 allegedly threw a bottle of paint thinner at him while he was assisting the police in opening the steel gate to the VTI headquarters in Barangay Mansilingan here.

Alingasa said that he incurred severe burns to his right hand and believed that there was “intent to kill” him.

He went on to claim the supporters were acting on orders from the Yanson 4.

The charges were filed last month before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office.

Aside from the Yanson 4, the other respondents were Police Brigadier General Noli Romana, Police Colonel Jomil John Trio, and several John and Jane Does.

The case is an offshoot of the squabble within the Yanson clan over control of VTI.