The Court of Appeals based in Cebu City reversed a Bacolod City regional trial court's ruling and ordered the lifting of the suspension of the warrant of arrest against Emily V. Yanson, former corporate secretary of Ceres Transport Inc. for perjury and falsification of public documents.

In a 34-page decision dated 27 October 2023, the CA 19th Division reversed and set aside the orders of Bacolod City RTC Branch 45 dated 5 August 2022 and 20 October 2022, respectively, which suspended the warrants of arrest issued by a lower court against Emily V. Yanson.

"The MTCC (Municipal Trial Court in Cities) is directed to lift the suspension and implement the arrest warrants issued against appellee in Criminal Case Nos. 21-09-36294 to 96 for perjury and Criminal Case No. 21-09-36299 to 301 for falsification of public documents. The MTCC is further directed to continue with the proceedings in the said criminal cases," according to the decision penned by Associate Justice Rogelio G. Largo.

The case stemmed from the family dispute over the estate of Yanson patriarch Ricardo B. Yanson Sr., who died on October 25, 2015. The Yanson family is divided into two factions, with the first faction composed of Ricardo's wife, Olivia, and two of their children — Leo Rey and Ginnette. The other faction comprises Emily, Roy, Celina and Ricardo Jr.

The MTCC said Emily Yanson, in her capacity as corporate secretary of Ceres Transport, made untruthful statements and falsified entries in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 general information sheet of the company to state that she and her sister Celina, purportedly stockholders and directors of the company, and that their mother is not a stockholder and director of the company.