Municipal Trial Court of Bacolod City Judge Abraham A. Bayona issued a warrant of arrest against siblings Emily Yanson, Roy Yanson, Ricardo Yanson Jr. and Maria Lourdes Celina Yanson Lopez as well as Jerica Leanne Ramos, Jerina Louise Ramos, Ma. Judy Alcala, PGen. Noli Romana and PCol. Jomil John Trio. Bail was set at P36,000 each.
Last March 20, Bayona found probable cause against the Yanson 4 and their accomplices for alleged illegal takeover of VTI from incumbent president Leo Rey Yanson.
“After careful evaluation of the resolution of the investigating prosecutor and the supporting documents pursuant to Sec. 6(b) in relation to Sec. 6(a) of Rule 112 of the Revised Rule on Criminal Procedure, the court finds probable cause exists and that there is a necessity of placing the accused under the immediate custody so as not to frustrate the ends of justice,” Bayona sai.
An arraignment hearing has been set on July 10 at 8:30 am.
Representatives of the Yanson 4 were not available for comment as of press time.
Founded by the late Ricardo Yanson Sr. and wife Olivia, the 52-year old VTI is the company behind Ceres Liner, Ceres Tours, Sugbo Transit and Sugbo Tours with a fleet of 4,800 buses nationwide and 18,000 employees. It provides transport services to 700,000 passengers from Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, Butuan, Davao, Pagadian, Dipolog, Bohol and Batangas.