Court orders Balili lot owner to return P37.8 M to Capitol

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court ordered Amparo Balili, the spouse of late Luis Balili, to secure P37.8 million for the refund to the Province of Cebu.

Judge Ester Veloso has given Amparo and the executor of the Balili property, Atty. Romeo Balili, to come up with the intact P37.8 million. Veloso said the money in the bank was only P24 million as shown in the records.

Veloso asked the counsels of Amparo for clarification if the P24 million still exists in the bank but lawyer Carlo Fortuna said he does not know if it still exists, adding he will ask first his client.

Attorney Balili told reporters that the P24 million still exists, and is deposited in the Landbank, Banco de Oro and PNB.

Attorney Balili said the P24 million is the proceeds of the Balili Property in Tinaan, Naga which was bought by the province of Cebu. He added the money is under the name of Amparo Balili.

He said Amparo will fill up the balance of P13 million to come up with P37.8 million as the P24 million is already there.

Fortuna said the P24 million was not the proceeds from the sale of the Balili property but personal money of Amparo contrary to the statement of Attorney Balili.

He added the liquidation presented by Attorney Balili in court yesterday was from the personal account of Amparo and not the proceeds of the sale.

Veloso said Attorney Balili and Amparo did a negotiation without informing the court regarding the money from the sale of the property. She added she was not informed by the executor that the full payment from the province of Cebu was already given to the heirs of Balili.

However, Attorney Balili said he only did the thing because of his trust to the widow of the late Luis Balili.

Meanwhile, Attorney Balili said he will call for a meeting in his office on Thursday between Amparo and her counsels to discuss the P37.8 million.

Attorney Balili said the P44,483,981.32 deposited at the Banco de Oro-Universal Bank along F. Ramos St., Cebu City, which includes the P37,810,400 reserved by the court for the claim of Cebu Province, has been withdrawn by Amparo.

The Province of Cebu and Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has filed a case against the estate of Luis V. Balili, Amparo Balili and Romeo Balili pending before RTC Branch 14 Judge Raphael Yrastorza.

On the other hand, Veloso ordered Amparo Balili to clarify before the court where the money went.

Veloso earlier issued an order of partition of the P98.9 million as deed of sale of the Balili property to the heirs of the late Luis Balili, owner of the property.

Veloso ruled that the P37.8 million will be set aside from the P98.9 million as refund to the Provincial Government, which sought for refund of P37, 810, 400, representing the amount it paid on submerged areas and those filled with mangroves. The total area of these portions is 94, 526 square meters, pegged at P400 per square meter. — /WAB   (FREEMAN NEWS)