Sitoy wants Ouano to witness vs Gwen

CEBU, Philippines - Provincial Board Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy wants to make his fellow legislator, PB Member Thadeo Ouano, a witness against suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in the case filed before the Visayas Ombudsman relative to the development in the Balili property.

Sitoy said that Ouano himself realized that indeed, there was  backfilling being done when he inspected the area to find the reported hole in the property.

“I thank Board Member Ouano for being with us and as one who personally saw a project that is wasting government funds,” Sitoy said.

Sitoy hopes Ouano can render an honest report and recommendation.

 â€œI would be more thankful if he could come up with a position that the site is not appropriate for dumping of coal ash,” Sitoy said.

Sitoy with acting governor Agnes Magpale, and lawyer Hilario Davide III filed a case against Garcia last year in relation to the backfilling work in the Balili property.

Ouano who heads the PB committee on environment was tasked to conduct factual inquiry but found no “critical hole” in the filled up pond of the controversial Balili property in Barangay Tinaan, Naga City.

Sitoy said that Ouano’s  report will be their additional documentary evidence of the case.

The PB acted on the report Sitoy that a hole as big as a six-year old child is visible in the restored or reclaimed area of Balili property.

Ouano was accompanied by some members of the media, a representative from the office of PB Member Wilfredo Caminero who is a committee member and the staff of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) during the inspection.

What was found instead of the hole was a waterway from the pond going to the sea, which according to Ouano, is needed for a fishpond.

Ouano said that what he conducted was just a factual inquiry and he will report his findings in their next PB session.  (FREEMAN)