Delfin Lee out on bail

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines — Property developer Delfin Lee was released on bail on Thursday.

Lee, president of Globe Asiatique (GA), who was detained at the Pampanga provincial jail since March 6, 2014, reportedly posted a bond of P40,000.

Lee was allowed to post bail after the Supreme Court (SC), in a ruling in July, downgraded the charges filed against him from syndicated to simple estafa.

The high tribunal affirmed a Court of Appeals decision that syndicated estafa would not apply because the law requires at least five respondents. The charges against two of Lee’s co-accused had earlier been dismissed.

A source from the provincial jail, who asked not to be identified for lack of authority to release information on the case, said Lee was not able to immediately post bail because he waited for the complete documents from the SC.

Lee’s release came two days after the Department of Justice (DOJ)  appealed the SC ruling.

The DOJ also held that Lee could not be granted bail yet because the SC decision is not yet final.

In a 47-page motion for reconsideration filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida on Tuesday, the DOJ insisted that Lee and his co-accused – GA vice president Dexter Lee, accounting head Cristina Salagan, documentation head Christina Sagun and PagIBIG foreclosure manager Alex Alvarez – should be held liable for syndicated estafa.

Lee was indicted for syndicated estafa for allegedly defrauding the government of P6.6 billion in housing loan proceeds involving his housing projects in Mabalacat and Bacolor.

Probers said the loan beneficiaries were either fictitious or had incomplete documents.

Lee denied the allegations, claiming he did not commit even simple estafa.