In a testament to the potent and often destructive force of wealth on family ties, Olivia Villaflores Yanson, the billionaire matriarch of the clan that presides over one of Asia’s largest bus fleets, has received judicial approval for the probate of her will.

The decision, handed down by Bacolod City Regional Trial Court Branch 44 Presiding Judge Ana Celeste P. Bernad in a 27-page verdict dated August 31, 2023, greenlights the will’s compliance with the legal formalities.

This legal twist leaves only two of Olivia’s six children, Leo Rey Yanson and Ginnette Yanson Dumancas, as heirs to the sprawling Yanson Group of Bus Companies, which commands nearly 5,000 bus units and sustains an employment force of 18,000.

The Yanson Group’s origins trace back to Olivia’s late husband, Ricardo, who initiated the family’s ascent from a humble garage in the government housing estate of Bacolod City.

Yet, this dramatic family rift didn’t materialize overnight. It has festered since the death of Ricardo, who succumbed to a heart attack on October 28, 2015. The ensuing years witnessed a tumultuous feud that spilled over into a physical struggle for control over the family’s expansive bus terminal in Bacolod City.

Courtroom Drama Unveiled
The court’s deliberations, as laid out in the document, illuminate the protracted legal wrangling between Olivia and her disinherited offspring since she initiated the probate process for her final will and testament on April 15, 2019.

The American Bar Association defines probate as “the formal legal process that gives recognition to a will and appoints the executor or personal representative who will administer the estate.”

Judge Bernad’s ruling emphasizes that Section 1, Rule 75 of the Rules of Court strictly bars a probate court from “inquiring into the intrinsic validity of the will or the disposition of the estate by the person leaving behind a legacy.”

Instead, the court’s purview is confined to one key question: “whether the testator, being of sound mind, freely executed the will in accordance with the formalities prescribed by law.”

Phillip Sigfrid Fortun, the legal counsel representing the four dissenting children, contended that their mother “was under undue and improper influence and pressure from Leo Rey and Ginette.”

In her defense, Olivia attested to multiple discussions with her lawyers before granting approval to the will, affirming her own volition and intent. She initiated the probate while alive to assert her capability to execute her Last Will and Testament freely and independently.

Throughout the legal proceedings, the four opposing children remained absent from court hearings, with most of their witnesses conceding they were not present when Olivia finalized her will.

Judge Bernad’s decision hinged on Olivia’s capacity at the time of drafting. At 85 years old, Olivia had convincingly demonstrated her mental faculties, comprehension of her estate’s nature, and grasp of the will’s consequences. The will’s signing was witnessed by four subscribing individuals, bolstering its legitimacy.

Conversely, the dissenting faction failed to furnish any compelling evidence that might indicate undue influence or coercion on Olivia during the will’s formulation.

As this complex family drama unfolds in court, it serves as a stark reminder that immense wealth can corrode even the most unbreakable familial bonds, leaving a legacy divided by wealth and discord.