The Regional Trial Court of Bacolod City, Branch 45, declared the extrajudicial settlement (EJS) of the estate of Ricardo B. Yanson null and void thereby affirming Olivia Yanson’s majority ownership and control over the Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC), a press release from her camp said on Monday, Feb. 10.
The Civil Case No. 24-15835 decision penned by Judge Phoebe Gargantiel–Balbin is dated January 21.
After the untimely passing of Mr. Yanson, Mrs. Yanson together with her six living children executed the EJS in an attempt to settle the estate of Mr. Yanson out of court, the press release sent by Dindo Danao on Monday, Feb 10, said.
As agreed to by all, Mrs. Yanson would waive her one-seventh share in the estate of her late husband, in favor of her children, but would retain ownership over her conjugal share, it said.
With this understanding in mind, Mrs. Yanson was made to sign the EJS but without any annexes, the press release said.
Later on, as Olivia Yanson would find out, the annexes that were belatedly attached to the EJS made it appear that Mrs. Yanson gave her conjugal share to her children, including her shares in the bus companies, contrary to what was agreed, the press release added.
The court, in its seven page decision, held that the resulting EJS which Mrs. Yanson was made to sign did not accurately reflect what she agreed to.
In fact, the belated attachment of the annexes completely changed the meaning of the EJS and no longer conformed to what the heirs had intended, the press release said.
Since Mrs. Yanson did not consent to the resulting agreement, the court nullified the EJS and set it aside.
The Court-declared void EJS is the document on which Mrs. Yanson’s four children — Ricky, Roy, Celina, and Emily Yanson — anchor their claims of majority ownership of YGBC, the press release said.
Ricky, Roy, Celina, and Emily have used, attached, and referenced this EJS in various complaints that they have lodged against Mrs. Yanson and other siblings Ginnette and Leo Rey, it said.
The Court also saw no need to issue an injunction against Ricky, Roy, Celina and Emily from using the EJS because it has already declared the same as null and void.
With the ruling of the court, it is now undeniable that majority ownership over YGBC belongs to Mrs. Yanson, Ginnette, and Leo Rey, the press release said.*