Yanson 4 to question arrest warrant before appellate court

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The lawyer of Yanson siblings Roy, Emily, Celina and Ricardo Jr., also known as the Y4, said they will question before the appellate courts the arrest warrant issued by the Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 53 for allegedly carnapping vehicles of their family-owned bus company.

In a statement sent to Daily Guardian Wednesday, Atty. Carlo Joaquin Narvasa said the case stemmed from a complaint filed by an employee of the company identified with Leo Rey and Ginnette Yanson-Dumancas.

Leo Rey and Ginnette are at loggerheads with the Y4 over control of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies, which includes the Vallacar Transit Inc., operator of the Ceres Bus Liner.

“Despite their possession of 61% majority shareholdings in the Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) based on Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) records, the Y4 now face arrest,” Narvasa said.

The battle for the bus company is also the subject of ongoing court battles between the Y4 and Leo Rey and Ginnette with their mother Olivia.

“There can be no basis for warrants of arrest to issue as the question of who between the two contending groups legally manages and operates VTI has not been resolved by the same court. The resolution of that issue will also determine the authority of the complainant to file suit involving VTI vehicles,” Narvasa added.

“By issuing arrest warrants without first resolving who between the two groups has authority to manage VTI and file complaints for it, the pending intra-corporate case is now a foregone conclusion.”

He also said that the Y4 remains confident that truth, justice and the rule of law will prevail and that the charges against them will be proven unauthorized and untrue.

Arrest warrants dated June 5, 2020 were issued by Judge Sue Lynn-Jolingan against the Yanson 4 siblings and three others who are facing three counts of violation of the New Anti-Carnapping Act of 2016 on three counts.

No bail was recommended for the provisional liberty of all of the accused.