A 78-vear-old retired executive of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC) filed criminal complaints against Olivia Yanson and son, Leo Rey Yanson, for the alleged false sworn statements made in the documents they executed that aided the filing of the carnapping case against him, from which he was later acquitted.
Human rights lawyer Dino de Leon represented Antonio “Tony” Zerna in filing a complaint for perjury and falsification against Olivia Yanson before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Bacolod City on Thursday, July 9.
Zerna and de Leon held a press conference at Benjamin Hall in Bacolod City on Thursday to discuss the filing of the cases.
De Leon is the first cousin of Olivia Yanson.
Earlier, on July 3, Zerna also filed a complaint for falsification of a private document against Leo Rey Yanson before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Batangas City, de leon said.
De Leon said the complaints seek to hold accountable those allegedly responsible for executing documents containing false statements that paved the way for the filing and prosecution of the carnapping case against Zerna.
Zerna was arrested for the first time in 2020 after the carnapping case was filed against him before the Office of the City Prosecutor – Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, which was eventually dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
Thereafter, in March 2022, a carnapping case was again filed against him in Office of the City Prosecutor – Batangas City. In September 2023, his wife of 50 years died after suffering severe stress, which De Leon attributed to the emotional toll of the prosecution.
Specifically, the complaint assails the certification dated Feb. 8, 2021, in which Leo Rey certified that Zerna was not authorized to possess or use the vehicle, and that based on Company records, Zerna is not authorized and/ or sanctioned by the CTT’s Board of Directors and/or any other Company officer to use, possess, utilize and/or appropriate, in any manner, a Toyota Fortuner that had been assigned to Zerna as a vehicle used in his service with the Yanson Group, de leon said.
The complaint against Olivia Yanson, meanwhile, involves a Secretary’s Certificate that authorized the filing of the carnapping complaint against Zerna, de Leon added.
De Leon explained the perjury and falsification complaint alleges that the Yanson matriarch falsely certified under oath that she was the duly elected and incumbent Corporate Secretary of CTI, that a special meeting of the Board of Directors had been held with a quorum present, and that the Board validly authorized the filing of the carnapping complaint.
De Leon said these documents became material in the filing and prosecution of the carnapping
In November 2023, the trial court acquitted Zerna of the carnapping charge after finding that the prosecution failed to prove its case. The court also recognized the existing intra-corporate dispute within Ceres Transport Inc. and ruled that Zerna possessed the vehicle with color of authority, he added.
Zerna began working for the Yanson Group in 1969 and later became General Manager for the group’s Mindanao operations. He worked closely with the late Ricardo Yanson Sr. and continued to assist in company operations even after the latter’s death, he said.
“For decades, Mr. Zerna faithfully served the Yanson Group, yet he found himself facing criminal charges. The court eventually acquitted him. It is only right that those who executed false sworn statements that became the basis of his unjust prosecution should be held accountable,” De Leon said.
De Leon added that the cases are also intended to seek justice for Zerna, who was detained for 24 hours, arrested twice and publicly accused before being acquitted.
Zerna said he hopes his cousin resolves the differences between her children so that there will be reconciliation in the family.
The camp of Olivia and Leo Rey Yanson had not issued a response as of this posting.*
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