Another arrest warrant issued vs 4 Yanson siblings

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A trial court in this city has issued another arrest warrant against four members of the Yanson family, owner and operator of a major transport company serving the Visayas and Mindanao.

The family has been locked in a corporate battle since 2019 over the control of the company.

The opposing groups are composed of the matriarch, Olivia, and her children, Leo Rey and Ginette, on one side, and the four siblings – Emily, Ma. Lourdes Celina, Roy and Ricardo Jr. ­– on the other side.

The warrant was issued on charges of qualified theft involving more than P803.47 million in company funds.

Norman Golez, counsel for the Mindanao Star Bus Transport Inc. headed by Leo Rey, said the complaint stemmed from the alleged unauthorized withdrawal of P803.47 million from MSBTI’s account at the Philippine National Bank (PNB).

The money, withdrawn during the peak of the family squabble in 2019, was allegedly transferred to the personal bank accounts of the four siblings.

Golez said the PNB froze MSBTI’s account in 2020, which resulted in the filing of a case to determine the rightful head of the company.

The court ruled in favor of Leo Rey, who discovered the unauthorized withdrawal.

The four siblings reportedly left the country in 2020 and have not returned to face the law.