Chris Brown, American Hip-Hop singer, is not yet cleared from the mess he left in the Philippines. He still has been charged with $1-million Estafa filed against him by the Church Of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo/ INC), an influential religious sect in the Philippines.
MSN reports that the Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima allowed Chris Brown to leave Philippines on Friday afternoon, however the case that has been filed against the American Hip-hop singer together with Brown's promoter John Michael Pio Roda would still continue.
"Of course the preliminary investigation will proceed (whether he's around or not) since there is a complaint. It will have to go through the process," De Lima said in her interview with Philippine Press on weekend.
DOJ Sec. De Lima also said that an investigating prosecutor has already been assigned to handle the Estafa charge filed by the Church Of Christ. Chris Brown and John Roda would be expecting the subpoena soon.
According to the report, the preliminary investigation may proceed even though Chris Brown chooses not to participate in the proceeding, since such process is not compulsory.
Brown may ignore the issued subpoena and not participate the preliminary investigation proceedings but De Lima warned that by doing so, the American Hip-hop singer has waived his rights to answer the allegations in the complaint.
"There is a process. If in the preliminary investigation level, probable cause is established then the case will be filed in court, which cannot proceed without the presence of the accused. There are modes on how to bring the accused here like the MLAT (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) or extradition," De Lima further explained.
It has also been noted from the explanation of Sec De Lima that "estafa by swindling, such as the case against Brown and Roda, may have criminal and civil aspects." It is a criminal case because there is the intent to defraud, and it is also a civil suit because there is an objective to recover the money. But all that need to be established. However, DOJ Sec. De Lima made it clear "that such scenario is preemptive at this point as it is getting ahead of all things in the case."
Manila Bulletin says that American Hip=hop singer was prevented from boarding his Gulfstream G450 plane because of the complaint filed against him. It has been on report that Chris Brown is facing a $1 million Estafa charge because of his "no-show" on December 31, 2014 at Philippine Arena. The event was a New Year countdown celebration of the Church of Christ.
Church of Christ (INC)head legal counsel Glicerio Santos IV has filed a case against Chris Brown for failure to fulfill his commitment with the religious sect. According to the report, an initial payment of $87,500 had been given, and then the second payment of $350,000 was deposited directly to Chris Brown's account on Oct. 13, 2014. The full payment of $350,000 was wired on Brown's account on December 1. The deposits made prior to the New Year's Eve countdown was per instruction of John Michael Roda.
John Michael Roda is still detained in the Philippines by the Bureau of Immigration for other immigration law violations. Roda is the owner of the Pinnacle Live Concepts Limited, which was the promoter of Brown on the said event of the Church of Christ (INC).
