Ombudsman probe to start Monday

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas will start its fact-finding investigation into the controversial purchase of the Balili lot on Monday.

This as the anti-graft office also said that it will look into, among others, the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth of Capitol officials.

Assistant Ombudsman for the Visayas Virginia Palanca Santiago said it is inevitable that the wealth of the officials linked into the Balili land purchase will be looked into in the light of the suspicions that somebody made money out of the transaction.

The anti-graft body is doing the investigation due to the report that a portion of the 25-hectare property in barangay Tinaan, Naga is underwater and parts of it are in a mangrove area.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia herself admitted and was sorry to the Cebuanos after a Capitol survey revealed that 9.4-hectares of the property is indeed underwater and covered with mangrove, therefore could not be titled.

The Capitol survey however is contrary to another survey previously conducted by a Geodetic Engineer, whose findings revealed that 80 percent of the property was actually submerged in seawater.

Engineer Fortunato Lazaro earlier went to Mayor Tomas Osmeña and volunteered the information.

Lazaro’s survey was somehow validated by the pending move of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to nullify the titles covering a huge portion of the property issued to Amparo and Luis Balili.

Santiago said they have subpoenaed DENR 7 executive director Leonardo Sibbaluca to appear before her on Monday to shed light on the matter.

Santiago said graft investigator Roderick Blazo, who is an engineer, has already gathered several documents relative to the property.

Santiago explained that the purpose of her calling Sibbaluca is to confirm these documents, because some of them were gathered from private individuals.

Among the documents already obtained by the Ombudsman fact-finding team is the survey of Lazaro.

The anti-graft office has also obtained other documents from the Bureau of Lands and the DENR.

Santiago said after her conference with the DENR the team will already focus on the transaction itself.

According to her, the Ombudsman will focus on the two checks issued by the provincial government to Romeo Balili, the executor and administrator of the Balili Estate.

Santiago said they will be enlisting the help of the Anti-Money Laundering Council to be able to access the bank accounts where the two checks were deposited.

According to Santiago, the anti-graft office cannot do it with the help of AMLAC because of the bank secrecy law.

Santiago said from there the anti-graft office is hoping to trace the money trail to be able to find out whether speculations that somebody has made money out of the transaction have enough bases.

Talks are rife that somebody have made money out of commissions from the transaction after self-styled anti-corruption crusader Crisologo Saavedra alleged that Amparo Balili only received P65 million out of the P98.9 million total amount paid by the province.

Santiago said that because of these speculations and suspicions it is inevitable that the investigation will expand to as far as the looking into the wealth of the officials involved. Santiago admitted that they will give special attention to scrutinizing the SALN of Garcia, Provincial Board Member Juan Bolo and other officials who may have a hand in the transaction.She added that, if necessary, they will also look into the bank accounts of these officials thru the help of AMLAC.

Not Blaming DENR

The Cebu Provincial Government is not blaming DENR over the controversial purchase of the Balili property.

This was the clarification made by Capitol consultant on information Rory Jon Sepulveda on the reports that the province should not have blamed DENR for the Balili lot fiasco.

“We are not blaming your good office and person for the Balili lot fiasco. Whatever actions and processes that we are looking into happened long before your watch,” the letter addressed to DENR-7 Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca read.

Despite the existence of a Torrens certificate of title, Sepulveda asks the DENR if they still have to check with their agency on the status and condition of the property.

“Will not a check with Registry of Deeds concerned suffice? How about Free Patents granted, survey plans approved and Alienable and Disposable certification issued by DENR, does these deserve to be afforded the presumption of regularity,” Sepulveda asked Sibbaluca.

At least 21 titles were transmitted and endorsed at the DENR-7, with case folders and with draft complaints for Annulment and Reversion last September 2001.

Of the 21 titles recommended for Annulment and Reversion, eight were actually owned by spouses Luis and Amparo Balili.

Two of the eight have been part of the land in barangay Tinaan, Naga purchased by the provincial government of Cebu and are now being questioned.

The provincial government paid P98,926,800 for the 24.73 hectare lot. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)