Ongpin lawyer opposes use of word ‘dummy’ for nominee

The legal counsel of businessman Roberto Ongpin on Tuesday took issue with the characterization of Josephine Manalo as a “dummy” of Ongpin — for whom Manalo has worked as a personal assistant since 1967.   Manalo has testified before an ongoing Senate probe on a $180-million loan the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines granted to Global Air Services (GAS).   “What we did was establish the fact that she was owner on record of the vast majority of shares in practically 50 percent of the Ongpin companies,” Senator Serge Osmeña said Monday.   Atty. Alex Poblador said in a statement that he objects to “the use of the word dummy as Manalo actually acted as a nominee of Mr. Ongpin. Dummy implies a wrongful act whereas a nominee where the beneficial owner is fully disclosed is perfectly regular and legal.”   Poblador said “during her (Manalo’s) testimony, never once was the word ‘dummy’ used.”   He also said the ‘lookout bulletin' of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is “totally useless and unnecessary” because Manalo “has no plans of leaving the country.”   “I strongly believe that she is not guilty of any wrongdoing so there is no need for her to leave,” Ongpin’s lawyer added. — ELR/VS/KG, GMA News