LEGAWRI - Complaint-Affidavit for Estafa

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES OFFICE OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR MANILA Manila Patrick Stephen Cua, C!plainant, " #er$u$ " I%S% N% &&&&&&&&&  Fr' E$ta(a Richar) Sant$, Re$pn)ent% * """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" * COMPLAINT-AFFIDAVIT

The The c!pl c!plain ainan antt i$ Patri Patrick ck Steph Stephen en Cua, Cua, ( le+al le+al a+e, a+e, !arrie !arrie), ), Filip Filipin in  an), an), (r  purp$e$ ( thi$ cri!inal c!plaint, ith p$tal a))re$$ at' -./ 0el Mnte A#enue, 1ue2n Cit3% The re$pn) re$pn)ent ent i$ Richar) Richar) Sant$, Sant$, a%k%a% 4Ricar) 4Ricar)5, 5, ( le+al le+al a+e, !arrie), !arrie), Filipin Filipin natinal, an) ith the (llin+ a))re$$, here $u!!n$ an) ntice$ !a3 6e $er#e), t it' .78 Banae Street, 1ue2n Cit3% Thi$ Thi$ i$ a cri!i cri!ina nall c!pl c!plain aintt (r EST ESTAFA in# in#l# l#in+ in+ the the $u! ( Ten Milli Millin n Pe$ Pe$$ $ 9P:;,;;;,;;;%;;< ari$in+ (r! (rau) 63 the re$pn)ent%  A(ter ha#in+ ha#in+ 6een )ul3 $rn $rn t accr)in+ accr)in+ t t la here63 here63 )ep$e )ep$e an) $a3' 9:< Thi$ c!plaint"a((i)a#it i$ 6ein+ (ile) t char+e Richar) Sant$ a%k%a 4Ricar)5, Filipin, ( le+al a+e, an) ith re$i)ence at .78 Banae Street, 1ue2n Cit3 ( the cri!e ( ESTAFA un)er Article =:8 ( the Re#i$e) Penal C)e, c!!itte) a$ (ll$' 9a< I a! a $n ( a renne) (a!il3 ( arti$t$ h ha#e an e*tre!e appreciatin (r the art$% I 6eca!e a cllectr ( paintin+$ (r! the ti!e I $tarte) tra#ellin+ in Eurpe an) +in+ t it$ !u$eu!$% 96< On Ma3 :-, .;:., hile I a$ in >u++enhei! Mu$eu! Bil6a, ne ( the !$t (a!u$ !u$eu!$ in Eurpe, I !et Ricar) h! I 6eca!e ea$il3 (rien)$ ith e$peciall3 hen I kne that he i$ al$ a Filipin ith the $a!e )e+ree ( appreciatin ith the art$ a$ I )% 9c< On Ma3 :7, .;:., t )a3$ a(ter e initiall3 !et an) the la$t )a3 6e(re e 6th 6th + 6ack 6ack t the Phili Philippi ppine ne$, $, e ha) ha) c(( c((ee ee t+et t+ether her an) an) ra!e ra!e) ) aru arun) n) the the )ntn ( Bil6a% Ricar) ((ere) !e (r $ale ( P:;,;;;,;;; a +enuine !a$terpiece paintin+ ( the renne) painter, Pa6l Pica$$ "" The Ol) >uitari$t hich Pica$$

!a)e in :/;=% Ricar) !entine) that hi$ +reat +ran)(ather ac?uire) it a$ a +i(t (r! Pica$$ hi!$el( $ince hi$ (ather $a#e) Pica$$ (r! an acci)ent in Ta+u$ Ri#er at  Alc@ntara, Spain ne ti!e, an) the3 ere +) (rien)$% 9)< Cn$i)erin+ the tru$t I ha#e (r hi! an) hi$ e*tre!e appreciatin (r the art$, e$peciall3 that I a! an a#i) (an ( Pa6l Pica$$, I a+ree) t 6u3 the paintin+ an) pa3 in (ull a!unt a$ $n a$ e + 6ack t the Philippine$% Ricar) a+ree), an) he $ai) that e u$t !eet in Star6uck$, Ta(t n Ma3 .=, .;:.% 9e< On Ma3 .=, .;:., Ricar) an) I !et% I pai) the hi! Ten Millin Pe$$ 9P:;,;;;,;;;< in (ull a!unt% I a+ree) that the paintin+ ill 6e )eli#ere) in three )a3$% 9(< On Ma3 .-, .;:., The Ol) >uitari$t !a$terpiece paintin+ ( Pica$$ arri#e) at !3 hu$e% I a$ ith !3 (rien)$ at that ti!e h are Mika Li! an) Carlin On+ h are all pr(e$$inal an) $ucce$$(ul arti$t$% I e#en 6a$te) the paintin+ $a3in+ that I actuall3 6u+ht it (r Ten Millin Pe$$ u$t the ther )a3 (r! !3 (rien) h i$ a +ran)$n ( a (rien) ( Pica$$ hi!$el(% Carlin, a #er3 !eticulu$ 6rilliant arti$t, lke) int the )etail$ ( the paintin+$ an) (un) ut that it i$ nt authentic% Mika a+ree) that it i$ (ake, an) $ai) I a$ )e(rau)e) 63 the ne h $l) t !e the paintin+% 9+< I i!!e)iatel3 calle) Ricar)% Un(rtunatel3, it $ee!e) that Ricar) chan+e) hi$ nu!6er t a#i) 6ein+ reache) 63 an3ne% 9h< On Ma3 .7, .;:., I ent t the A3ala Mu$eu! t ha#e the +enuit3 ( the paintin+ checke)% The paintin+ a$ le(t t the Mu$eu! (r three )a3$ (r in$pectin (  the +enuit3 ( the paintin+% It a$ cn(ir!e) that it i$ (ake thru+h the letter the Mu$eu! $ent t !e% I a$ #er3 )epre$$e) an) le(t ith n chice 6ut u$t t pick up the paintin+ (r! the Mu$eu! an) keep the paintin+ ith !e ne#erthele$$% 9.< A$ I a! alrea)3 pre$entl3 ( le+al a+e, I a! per$nall3 (ilin+ thi$ (r!al c!plaint a+ain$t Richar) Sant$ aka 4Ricar)5% 9=< The ele!ent$ ( e$ta(a are t )e(rau) anther 63 a6u$e ( cn(i)ence r 63 !ean$ ( )eceit, )a!a+e an) preu)ice capa6le ( (inancial e$ti!atin i$ cau$e) the ((en)e) part3 r thir) per$n, an) that the ((en)e) part3 !u$t rel3 n the (al$e preten$e, (rau)ulent act r (rau)ulent !ean$ c!!itte) 63 the ((en)er% 9< Ba$e) n the (re+in+, it i$ 6e3n) c!plain that re$pn)ent Richar) Sant$ c!!itte) the cri!e ( e$ta(a puni$ha6le un)er Art% =:8 ( the Re#i$e) Penal C)e% He )e(rau)e) !e t 6elie#e that the paintin+ i$ +enuine% Thi$ cn$titute$ $tatutr3 e$ta(a a$ )e(ine) in ur la$% Applicable Laws

8%:% Article =:8 ( the Re#i$e) Penal C)e n )eceit$in)lin+ 9e$ta(a< pr#i)e$ an3 per$n h $hall )e(rau) anther 63 an3 ( the !ean$ !entine) therein $hall 6e

puni$he) 63 the penalt3 ( pri$in crreccinal in it$ !a*i!u! peri) t pri$in !a3r  in it$ !ini!u! peri), i( the a!unt ( the (rau) i$ #er :.,;;; pe$$ 6ut )e$ nt e*cee) ..,;;; pe$$, an) i( $uch a!unt e*cee)$ the latter $u!, the penalt3 pr#i)e) in thi$ para+raph $hall 6e i!p$e) in it$ !a*i!u! peri), a))in+ ne 3ear (r each a))itinal :;,;;; pe$$D 6ut the ttal penalt3 hich !a3 6e i!p$e) $hall nt e*cee) tent3 3ear$D p rovided  that the (rau) 6e c!!itte) 63 an3 ( the (llin+ !ean$' :% ith un(aith(ulne$$ r a6u$e ( cn(i)ence, na!el3' Richar) Sant$ a%k%a% 4Ricar)5 96< B3 misappropriating   r cn#ertin+, t the preu)ice ( anther, !ne3, +)$, r  an3 ther per$nal  property received by the offender in trust or on commission, or  for administration, or under any other obligation involving the duty to make delivery of or to return the same , e#en thu+h $uch 6li+atin 6e ttall3 r partiall3 +uarantee) 63 a 6n)D r 63 )en3in+ ha#in+ recei#e) $uch !ne3, +)$, r ther  prpert3% .% B3 !ean$ ( an3 ( the (llin+ false pretenses or fraudulent acts executed   prior to or simultaneously with the commission of the fraud ' 9a< B3 u$in+ (ictitiu$ na!e, r (al$el3 preten)in+ t p$$e$$ per, in(luence, ?uali(icatin$, prpert3, cre)it, a+enc3, 6u$ine$$ r i!a+inar3 tran$actin$, r 63 !ean$ ( ther $i!ilar )eceit$% 96< B3 preten)in+ t ha#e 6ri6e) an3 >#ern!ent e!pl3ee, ithut preu)ice t the actin (r calu!n3 hich the ((en)e) part3 !a3 )ee! prper t 6rin+ a+ain$t the ((en)er% In thi$ ca$e, the ((en)er $hall 6e puni$he) 63 the !a*i!u! peri) ( the penalt3% 5.2.  Article =:- 9ther (r!$ ( $in)lin+< ( the Re#i$e) Penal C)e pr#i)e$ that the penalt3 ( arre$t !a3r in it$ !ini!u! an) !e)iu! peri)$ an) a (ine ( nt le$$ than the #alue ( the )a!a+e cau$e) an) nt !re than three ti!e$ $uch #alue, $hall 6e i!p$e) upn 4 any person who, to the prejudice of another, shall execute any  fictitious contract.” 

8%=% Article =:7 9ther )eceit$< ( the Re#i$e) Penal C)e pr#i)e$ that the penalt3 (  arre$t !a3r an) a (ine ( nt le$$ than the a!unt ( the )a!a+e cau$e) an) nt !re than tice $uch a!unt $hall 6e i!p$e) upn an3 per$n h $hall )e(rau) r  )a!a+e anther 63 “any other deceit not mentioned in the preceding articles of  this chapter.”  HEREFORE, pre!i$e$ cn$i)ere), it i$ re$pect(ull3 pra3e) that a(ter ntice an) hearin+ the re$pn)ent 6e in)icte) (r ESTAFA t prtectpre$er#e the ri+htintere$t (  the c!plainant t rec#er hi$ clai! ( Ten Millin Pe$$ 9P:;,;;;,;;;%;;