Charges against Goldquest directors dropped

Sept 19, 2007 (LBO) – Prosecutors in the Philippines have dropped charges against Goldquest directors involved in an alleged investment scam, media reports from the country said. It later enacted anti-pyramiding legislation that outlawed multi-level marketing recruitment schemes. Bayani Vargas, Presiding Judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, has dropped a criminal charge against Malaysian Vijay Eswaran, Joseph Bismark, Tagumpay Kintanar, Donna Marie Impson and Kurt Rocco Rinck., directors of GoldQuest International, GMAnews of the Philippines said.

The charges were dropped following appeals by the accused to higher courts and despite strong objection and opposition of the complainants, Enrico Noel Uy and Patrick Zuñiga, the report said.

The complainants against the Goldquest executives through their legal counsels argued that the Justice Department's resolution was patently void having been issued in violation of its own rules on appeals as well as the basic tenets on due process and fair play.

The complainants said that Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez conducted a review in a manner which violates even the most elementary rule of due process and fair play