00:00The preliminary probe on the Villar Land Holdings Corporation kicked off today
00:04with the Villar family respondents and their co-accused executives
00:08facing the Department of Justice panel and filing a motion to dismiss.
00:13Ralph Raven Tobisa has more on the Villar's order to submit their countersworn statements
00:17to be filed in this complaint by April 20
00:21to ascertain if there is probable cause to warrant the case moving forward.
00:27The preliminary investigation has begun at the Department of Justice
00:31on the case filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission
00:34against Villar Land Holdings Corporation and several of its executives.
00:38Among those named as respondents are former senators and spouses Manny Villar and Siente Villar.
00:42Their children are also named, current senators Mark and Camille Villar.
00:46According to DOG Senior Deputy Prosecutor Peter Ong,
00:49sabinas have already been served to nearly all of the respondents,
00:52except for Virgilio Villar, brother of former Senator Manny Villar
00:55who allegedly did not personally receive a subpena but is represented by his lawyer.
01:00During the proceedings before the panel of prosecutors,
01:02it was revealed that only one respondent has so far submitted a counter-affidavit,
01:07while the other respondents, including members of the Villar family,
01:10filed an omnibus motion seeking to suspend the preliminary investigation.
01:14The motion also requests the recall of subpenas and the return of the case to the SEC.
01:18According to Ong, he initially considered the pleading as a motion to dismiss
01:22which under the rules of preliminary investigation may already serve as a counter-affidavit.
01:27However, the respondents also requested more time to submit a more comprehensive counter-affidavit.
01:32If that is your motion, we will treat that as a motion to dismiss.
01:38And considering that it is a motion to dismiss,
01:42that will serve as your counter-affidavit.
01:45So they asked for 15 days, we gave them time, enough time to prepare.
01:50Because of this, the panel granted the request for an extension
01:54and directed the respondents to submit their counter-affidavits by April 20.
01:58They were also instructed to personally subscribe and swear to their affidavits
02:02before panel of prosecutors instead of before a notary public or another prosecutor.
02:07Meanwhile, the SEC disputes the argument of the respondents
02:10that there was no finding of probable cause in the complaint filed.
02:14Sabi ko, ang nag-file dito? SEC mismo eh.
02:16Wala namang specific format na nare-require ang batas.
02:20So sabi ko, yung filing ng complaint isn't insult a finding of probable cause.
02:25Once the counter-affidavits are submitted, the DOJ panel will then determine
02:29whether there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against those named in the complaint.
02:34RR Tubise from the National TV Network for a New and Better Philippines.
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