Delfin Lee to SC: Resolve my case immediately

MANILA, Philippines – Businessman Delfin Lee, currently in jail in Pampanga, maintains his detention is illegal and his warrant of arrest void.

In a motion before the Supreme Court (SC) third division on Monday, March 17, Lee appealed for his immediate release while the Court decides on the validity of an earlier ruling that quashed his arrest warrant. 

Lee is accused of siphoning off P6.6 billion from the Home Development and Mutual Fund (HDMF) or Pag-IBIG by using ghost borrowers to obtain housing loans.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed before the Pampanga regional trial court (RTC) a syndicated estafa case against Lee. It is also pursuing its preliminary investigation on 3 other syndicated estafa complaints against Lee. (READ: More cases for Delfin Lee? SC allows DOJ preliminary probe)

Lee was arrested on March 6 for his involvement in the housing scam. On March 10, he filed before the Court of Appeals (CA) a petition for his immediate release from detention, noting that the CA had already quashed his arrest warrant in an earlier ruling.

The CA, in a November 2013 ruling, lifted the warrant issued by the Pampanga RTC. But the DOJ and the HDMF questioned the CA decision before the SC.

The CA heard arguments on Lee’s petition for immediate release on March 12 and decided a day after to dismiss his petition. (READ: CA junks Delfin Lee’s petition to be released)

In his 76-page motion before the High Court filed Monday, Lee asked the SC to resolve the case against the November 2013 CA ruling immediately. “WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that the instant Motion to Admit Advance Comment be GRANTED and the instant appeals through petitions for review on certiorari filed by petitioners People and HDMF be immediately resolved taking into account, respondent’s comments to both petitioner,” the motion read.

Lee asked the SC to dismiss DOJ’s and HDMF’s petition before the Court. – Rappler.com