Split threatens antique empire

The antique retail empire left by Severina “Viring” de Asis of San Juan is being torn asunder by inheritance feud.

The estranged, US-based husband of De Asis, Luis Anson, has already secured a compromise involving three of the six Little Baguio conjugal houses left by De Asis, who died in 2002.

The six houses had earlier been extra-judicially settled and divided between the two De Asis daughters, Jo Ann Salgado and Liza Maya, leaving Anson out of the equation.

Liza, who is Anson’s daughter with De Asis, had initially fought with her father, claiming she was borne out of wedlock and that therefore her now Las Vegas-based father was not a compulsory heir like her and her half-sister Jo Ann.

Late last year, Liza after nearly a decade of opposing her dad in court agreed to an out-of-court settlement.

Anson, who left for the United States in 1980 after De Asis held a gun at him during a fight, secured another victory from the Court of Appeals only last month, upholding his 1966 marriage to De Asis.

This means Jo Ann and husband Dr. Gerard Salgado must share ownership of the three remaining San Juan houses with Jo Ann’s stepfather, unless the Supreme Court overturns the Court of Appeals.

One of the De Asis houses, what used to be the main residence, is currently being leased by Shelter, an American furniture store owned by design duo Ivy and Cynthia Almario, restaurateur Guillermo Nieva, fitness guru Joey Luna and Lee Imperial, president of Furniture Direct in the West Coast.