Feud over properties triggers trader’s killing

By Benjamin B. Pulta

07/12/2007

Eight bags containing important documents in the care of slain businessman Federico “Rico” Delgado covering millions of pesos’ worth of properties of their father Francisco “Don Paco” Delgado is the logical motive behind the killing last March, the Delgados said.

“We are asking for nothing less than justice. We will not settle for the wrong person going to jail for what happened to our brother,” the victim’s brother Jose Mari Delgado told reporters at a press briefing yesterday.

The Delgados said they will pursue the criminal and civil cases they have initiated against the Gonzalez family, mostly for the return of millions of pesos in property the Gonzalezes obtained during the marriage of the late Vicky Quirino-Gonzalez and Delgado patriarch, shipping magnate Francisco “Don Paco” Delgado, the victim’s father.

The documents covering transactions involving the properties were in the possession of Luisito shortly before he was waylaid.

The first of the cases involved Vicky’s son, Luisito Gonzalez, grandson of the late President Elpidio Quirino. who is a primary suspect in the brutal killing of his stepbrother Federico inside the latter’s own home in downtown Malate, Manila last March, 15 minutes away from where Luisito was seeking rehabilitation for drug abuse at the Makati Medical Center Basement.

“We want this case to be speedily resolved,” noting that the Gonzalez’s lawyers are resorting to dilatory tactics. A final deadline for Luisito’s lawyers to submit a counter-affidavit before prosecutors expires at the end of the month.

Under present rules covering proceedings before prosecutors, in case the suspect unreasonably fails to answer the charges against him, the prosecutor is constrained to resolve the case without waiting for his side.

Luisito and driver Antonio Buenaflor were charged with murder and frustrated murder by the Manila Police for Rico’s death after they were positively identified by the witness, Rico’s pregnant wife, Ms. Annaliza Pesico who was herself assaulted.

The case is now assigned to justice department Prosecutor Cielitolindo Luyun. Aside from fingerprint expert’s testimony, the Delgados cited the continuing dispute between the families as evidenced by a number of letters, communications found in the room of Don Paco after the death of Vicky Quirino as a motive in the killing.

A separate criminal case for robbery has likewise been filed by the Delgados led by Jose Mari Delgado against Ruby Gonzalez-Meyer, Luisito’s sister, before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office.

Delgado accused Ruby of having ordered the unlawful taking of the safety vault in the room of their father Don Paco on Nov. 30, 2006, a day after the death of Ruby’s mother, Vicky, in Amsterdam.

The Delgado family also said it will file a number of civil cases against the Gonzalez family for the recovery of a huge amount of money and several real estate proeprties belonging to the Delgados.

Aside from intestate proceedings, likewise initiated by the family are suits for the reconveyance of real property lent by Don Paco to his erstwhile wife and step children but was later found to be being siphoned and sold.

One of the case is for the reconveyance of Unit 12-C of Urdaneta Apartments.

The property landed in the Gonzalezes hands, shortly after 1984 when Vicky Quirino and her children set up the GQ Realty Corp. with a capital of a little more than P1 million. Don Paco Delgado, who was then courting Vicky Quirino, tried to help her and her corporation by acquiring real properties using his own money and causing these properties to be registered under the corporation’s name. One of these properties was the Unit 12-C Urdaneta.

Delgado allowed the registration of the same under GQ Realty’s name so the corporation could utilize it for legitimate purposes, on condition he would have control over the property and that it would be reconveyed in his favor after some time. Delgado resided in the property.

The case was filed before the court after Don Paco found out that since Vicky Quirino’s death some properties that he bought were being surreptitiously sold to other persons.

Similarly, another pending civil case is for the reconveyance of Rockwell Property which was obtained during the marriage of Don Paco and Vicky Quirino.

In 1995, eight years after Don Paco married Vicky, he bought a unit in Rockwell Condominium for which he paid P100,000 as downpayment of roughly P7.4 million for the property.

The purchase was with the condition that he would have control over property and that it would be reconveyed in his favor after some time. But Vicky Quirino and her children later caused the incorporation of Athena Corp. in June 2000 and subsequently placed the title of the subject property under Athena’s name.

Based on the capitalization of Athena Corp., it could not possibly acquire the Rockwell Property.

Lastly, the Delgados affirmed they would file shortly charges of estafa against Ruby for transactions involving Krexim Inc., one of the corporations of which Vicky Quirino was a major stockholder.

The company was put up in June 1987 and where Don Paco was a minimal stockholder.

Before 2003 , the corporation has been suffering heavy losses amounting to more than P50 million.

In June 2003, the corporation suddenly registered an amount close to P58 million as “advance’’ from stockholders and “deposits’ for future subscriptions’’ from funds provided by Don Paco.

But instead of increasing his shareholdings, the directors of Krexim Inc. removed his name from among the shareholders.

‘’The criminal case will be filed in order to punish the perpetrators of the crime committed against Don Paco Delgado and to make them pay for the loss that he suffered,” the Delgados said.

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