Money comes easy/ BNB

BnB March 16 – 22, 2009
Money comes easy

This is the beginning. Will so many others come out and rid themselves off fear? They must.

Mrs Joanne Villasenor – Smith, one of perhaps over a hundred people in the same boat, spilled the beans that she was gypped by a sweet talking property developer in QP for no less than 11-M pesos. We know people will say this is the sequence to the ‘Legacy’ scam of Celso de los Angeles. Of a lesser amount but a scam is a scam in what ever form.

Investors like her were promised significantly higher interest rate than those offered by most banks or investment houses. The rate of 3 percent interest per month or 36 percent is so attractive to simply look at some other way. Banks give only 4 percent per annum to most of our deposits.

Money comes easy. Maybe.

For three days last week, through a kin, in a coffee shop, we saw and heard several people spoke about how their millions in investment is imperiled. Might turn to bubbles.

The magnitude of the scam which keep bugging my ears since New Year made me skip the invitation of Solcom Chief Gen. Delfin Bangit to stay for a while with the Rotarians at the Officers Clubhouse upon learning that one brave heart is willing to come out into the open and expose the Graceland Scam.

The 2 inches thick un-cleared checks shown to me by Mrs Smith for a total investment of P11-M, plus that of the banker in Lucena City whose investment with Graceland reached Php23-M proved all about it. According to Villasenor, the total in her group of five is already about P50-M.

The ongoing construction of condominium buildings and units by the lagoon appeared to be what was used by Graceland through a certain Mr. Ronaldo Soliman to entice the investors to pour in money with the developer issuing deeds of assignment to not one but several persons for the same unit. Meaning one specific unit was assigned to 3 or more persons.

Now that the fiasco is exposed with this exclusive story of the Monday Times and Eyewatch, it is expected that the investors will fight it out among themselves for the right to possess the particular condo unit assigned to all of them by Graceland to satisfy the indebtedness.

Soliman was able to it perfectly for some time. I have to believe that he knows that at some point in time, investors will consequently discover the trick.

I cannot exactly tell how many victims there are. Some priest and bishops were said to have pleaded to the property developer to return their money. Because the amount involved were a couple of hundred thousand or under, sources believed some amount may have been returned.

As of the time I am doing this story, only Villasenor-Smith has the brave heart to come into the open. Others in the series of meeting requested that their identities be held for the meantime until the legal actions are in place.

As early as December last year, post dated checks issued to Mrs Smith, a gas station dealer and a banker, among so many others, to cover for months of interest and the principal came bouncing not for the usual ‘drawn against insufficient funds (DAIF) but in all capital letters marked ‘ACCOUNT CLOSED’.

Since the Graceland Properties and Development Inc. Metrobank checking account No 007-242-51258-4 is already closed, it would be wishful thinking to assume that the rest of the many post dated checks remaining in the investors folders will pass the clearing house of the Central Bank.

The checks issued were signed just by one person. Presumably the signature belongs to Soliman according to Smith with whom she was personally in touch during the good gold times and up to now that everything appear to be in shambles.

The Smiths are based in Europe where Douglas the husband is a banker but the nice lady went home hurriedly upon knowing that the checks for months of interests as well as for the principal issued by Graceland isn’t clearing.

The late Dr Villasenor’s daughter was supposed to stay in Lucena just for a very brief period but the Graceland mess forced her to reset dates until all legal actions are in place

Will she and the rest of the victims recover their hard earned money? That, I cant give a good answer. I can only do guesswork and it isn’t good.

For TWM EW and LMT
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MERALCO YUCKS

For the second time, a customer in Sariaya Quezon got a beating from the Meralco office in Lucena City. I know, the case is not remote as Meralco is believed to be as high handed to it’s clientele. Rude. Not just physically but even in making money beyond what is ethical or legal.

Remember that the Courts has found them guilty of overcharging us cutomers. The cost of power for their offices are charged to us.

Three weeks ago, the customers meter was pulled out for non-pament of the monthly bill. Meralco burly men did not bother to ask whether this particular client got his bill or any notice of sort.

This Meralco client did not receive any bill or notice by the time the meter was pulled and service permanently disconnected. In the first instance, the bill was accidentally found in the yard complete with dog manure.

Not surprising because, Meralco messengers has the habit of inserting the bills anywhere in the house or simply thrown in ones yard.

Whether that is part of the scheme Meralco has, I don’t know. I can only think that Meralco will make more money if the service is permanently disconnected. In which case you are forced to have a new connection.

The customer were in total darkness for over two weeks because of the utility firms atrocious manner of disconnecting power service at will. What a monopoly can indeed brought to an ordinary customer.

Mr Rener Musngi, manager for the Meralco Lucena Office, in a text sent to the customer wrote that ‘paiimbestigahan niya’. But whether he investigates or not, damage to the poor client is already done and I don’t know if he’ll be able to recover with the stress and tension generated by Meralco.

There is reason for the attempt of GSIS chair in trying to get control of Meralco in the same way that the investment of San Miguel and PLDT may do wonders for the utility firms customers.

GEN DELFIN N. BANGIT

Solcom chief Gen Bangit remain the simple, cool and accommodating gentleman despite the honors, the stars over his shoulder and what we all have in mind that he’ll, in all probability, be the next AFP Chief of Staff.

Of course, not everybody will agree to what he says and what he believes in. What matters is that he listens.

We in the Rotary Club of Lucena would like to thank him for the especial treatment and accommodations accorded the prestigious Club which perhaps change the impression of my fellow Rotarians with the military command right in the City.

Please read....

GRACELAND "LEGACY" QUEZON PROVINCE

Please read....





Graceland , ‘Legacy’ sa Quezon
Jet Claveria


Isang tila ‘Legacy type scam’ na hindi kukulangin sa 200 milyong piso ang nakataya ang puputok anumang araw ngayon matapos na magkaroon na ng lakas ng loob na lumabas ang ilan sa mga diumano’y biktima ng isang kompanyang nagmamay-ari ng isang exklusibong resort and property development sa lalawigan ng Quezon.

Ito’y makaraang humarap sa Monday Times para sa isang exclusive interview ang isa sa mga biktima kasama ang isa pa na sa kasalukuyan ay ayaw pang magpabanggit ng pangalan hanggat hindi niya naisasampa ang kaso laban sa nagkakautang sa kaniya.

Ayon kay Ginang Joanne Villasenor Smith isa sila ng kaniyang asawang si Douglas Smith sa maraming negosyante at propesyonal na nag-invest sa Graceland Properties and Development Inc. na matatagpuan sa Tayabas Quezon ng milyon-milyong puhunan.Ang nasabing resort property ay may lawak na humigit kumulang sa 23 ektarya na pag aari ng isang Soliman. Dahil sa matamis na mga pananalita, umabot sa 11 milyon piso ang kabuuang halaga na naiambag niyang puhunan na tinanggap na personal diumano ni Soliman sa pangakong tatanggap si Ginang Smith ng interes sa puhunan kada buwan kung saan nag-isyu ang una ng mga post dated checks at deeds of assignment para sa mga condominium units na itinatayo ng nabanggit na developer.

Noong una aniyang mga buwan ay pinahalagahan ng banko ang mga tsekeng katumbas ng interes na babayaran ni Soliman ngunit makaraan ang ilang buwan ay nagsitalbog na ang mga tseke na ini-isyu sa kanilang mag-asawa sapagkat ‘account closed’ o sarado na.

Ipinakita ni Smith ang ilan sa maraming tseke na tumalbog bilang patunay sa sinasabi niyang mga tseke na ini-isyu ng Graceland Properties na may solong pirma ni Soliman.

Anim sa mga tseke ay may halagang 25,000.00 ang bawat isa, dalawang 30,000.00 at dalawang 50,000.00. Ipinakita din ni Smith ang apat na tsekeng may ibat-ibang petsa at may halagang tig-isang milyong piso at isang tseke pa na ang nakasulat ay dalawang milyong piso kung saan ay post dated lahat, iba-iba ang petsa ngunit inaasahang tatalbog din sapagkat ang bank account ay sarado na.

Dagdag dito, nadiskubre ng mag-asawang Smith na ang nakaprenda sa kanila na mga condominium units sa pamamagitan ng deed of assignment ay naka-assigned din pala sa isa o higit pang bilang ng mga numuhunan.



Tinatayang nasa dalawang daan katao ang nabiktima sa ‘scam’ na ito kung saan nakataya ang ayon sa mga nabiktima ay aabot sa kalahating bilyong piso puhunan na bagamat maliit kumpara sa halagang naraket ni Celso de los Angeles ng Legacy Group of Companies ay iniambag ng maraming bilang ng maliliit na negosyanteng nagbabakasakali ng magandang kita sa puhunan.

Isang bankero na hindi muna nagpakilala ang nag-invest ng umabot sa 23-M sa Graceland ngunit nabigo ring makolekta o mai-cash ang mga tsekeng bayad sa interest at principal sapagkat tumalbog din. Tila ‘secured’ aniya ang kaniyang investment at tiyak na malinaw ang pananagutan ni Soliman hanggang sa madiskubre niya na ang ilang sa mga condominium units na nakaprenda sa kaniya bilang collateral ay nakaprenda rin sa iba pang mga tao.

Batay sa impormasyon ng ‘investor source’ ilan sa mga napagprendahan dito ay nagngangalang Dr. Padre at isang Malabanan na konektado sa isang government hospital.

Ipinagtapat ni Smith na hindi umano makapagsalita at makapagpahayag ang marami sa kanila sapagkat nagbanta di umano ang Graceland na kapag ang mga namuhunan ay nagdemanda ay lalong walang makukuha at kahit ang kanilang principal na in-invest ay hindi na mababayaran.

Ngunit matapos niyang makumpirma na halos lahat silang mga naglagak ng puhunan sa Graceland ay nagputukan din ang tseke mula pa noong Disyembre 2008 nagpasiya na silang mag-asawa na magsalita.

Sa grupo pa lamang ni Villaseñor na limang katao ay umabot na sa halos P50 milyong halaga ang makuha sa kanila. Isang retiradong opisyal mula sa Candelaria ang nagsabing namimilegro ang 2 milyong piso na investment niya sa Graceland.

Ganito rin ang naging reklamo ng isang nagpakilalang Ka Totoy, kung saan ang tatlong condo unit na 201,202 at 203 second floor na sa kanya nakapangalan ay natuklasan niyang nakapangalan naman sa isang apelyidong Mayor na umano’y taga Tayabas,Tan at Padre kung saan mag due ito sa April 20/09.

Sinabi ni Villaseñor, na ang condo na para sa kaniya naman ay natuklasan niya na nakapangalan din ang 105 B kay Parina, 407 kay A Cardenas, 401 kay B Soriano, 111kay B Rivadenevo, 305 B kay Malabanan, 103 B kay Tan at 114 A kay Zaballero.

Bunga nito, inaasahan na marami pang maglalabasang biktima upang ireklamo ang kanilang mga perang nailagak sa Graceland.

Habang sinusulat ang balitang ito ay hindi pa nagbibigay ng pahayag ang Graceland kung saan ayon sa isang staff nito ay wala ang kanilang manager.