Ombuds evaluates documents on purchase of Balili property

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas is now evaluating the documents they have gathered on the controversial Balili land transaction of the Cebu Provincial Government to determine if there is a need to conduct a formal criminal and administrative investigation.

Ombudsman director Carla Tangco said they have already received all the documents they have requested from the provincial government, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Tangco said that the DENR submitted on October 15 the last document that the anti-graft office was waiting for to proceed with the evaluation.

Tangco explained that with the submission by the DENR of their ground survey of the 24.7 hectares Balili property the investigator assigned to conduct the fact-finding investigation can now proceed with the evaluation.

 The Ombudsman earlier requested a copy of the deed of sale, zonal valuation of the property and the ground survey result from the DENR.

 The DENR was enlisted by the anti-graft office to conduct the ground survey of the property following reports a large portion of it is submerged. The DENR survey confirmed earlier reports that only 4.5 hectares is dry land and has a valid title because the large part of the property is still classified as timberland.

In fact, DENR officials testified before the provincial board earlier and said they have already recommended to the Office of the Solicitor General the reversion of the title of the submerged property sold by the Balili estate to the province.

Tangco explained that as soon as they find enough bases to upgrade the fact-finding into formal criminal and administrative cases, the people involved in the transaction will be asked to submit their counter-affidavit.

The anti-graft body earlier launched the fact-finding investigation into the Balili transaction because of the allegations that it is disadvantageous to the government because the property which the Capitol bought at P400 per square meter is underwater.

The transaction was first questioned by the environmental lawyers led by Gloria Estenzo Ramos and Benjamin Cabrido after they found out that a portion of the property will be used as dumpsite of the coal ash from the Korean Power Corporation plant in Naga.

The Capitol’s purchase of the property created more controversy after it was found out that the provincial government made the full payment without inspecting the property. It generated more public criticisms after it was discovered that the transaction appeared to have been done in haste.—/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)