SC allows Delfin Lee to post bail, OKs downgrade of estafa case

The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed the syndicated estafa case against businessman Delfin Lee to be downgraded, entitling the Globe Asiatique president to postbail in the government's criminal cases against him involving a multi-billion housing project.

In a media briefing, SC spokesman Theodore Te said the high court, voting 7-5, and with two justices taking no part, allowed the case against Lee to be downgraded from syndicated estafa to simple estafa, a bailable offense.

"As a consequence, the respondent Lee, who is the accused in the cases below, is entitled to bail as a matter of right," Te told reporters.

From SC sources: Court today votes to affirm CA ruling to downgrade Globe Asiatique’s Delfin Lee’s case to simple estafa from syndicated estafa; effect of ruling is Lee can now post bail @gmanews

— Dano Tingcungco (@danotingcungco) July 31, 2018

The development stemmed from the Department of Justice's P6.6-billion syndicated estafa case against Lee and other Globe Asiatique officers over the alleged approval of Pag-IBIG housing loan applications of fictitious buyers/borrowers and engaging in double-sale of townhouses at the Xevera Bacolor and Mabalacat Township projects.

The CA earlier cleared one of Lee's co-accused, Globe Asiatique documentation head Christina Sagun, of syndicated estafa charges.

This meant the rest of the accused can no longer be slapped with such charges since Presidential Decree 1689 provides that a "syndicate" committing estafa should be composed of at least five people.

But the SC stopped the implementation of this CA ruling in response to a petition challenging it filed by the DOJ.

Lee is detained at the Pampanga provincial jail. — MDM/RSJ, GMA News