COA given 10 days to submit report on Balili case

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas gave the Commission on Audit (COA)-7 ten days upon receipt of the order to submit a report regarding the budget used by the Cebu Province in the “restoration” of the controversial Balili Property in Tinaan, Naga City.

Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol said the assigned investigators have already made a draft of the evaluation report and is waiting for the COA report.

The COA report will be the basis of the investigators for the closure of the case or to upgrade it to a formal investigation.

Last month, investigators conducted an ocular inspection of the Balili property to verify if there was indeed an alleged reclamation work made by suspended Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Earlier, Cebu vice-governor now acting Governor Agnes Magpale, gubernatorial candidate Hilario “Junjun” Davide III and Provincial Board Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy, filed complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman asking that the said restoration be investigated.

In their complaint, Magpale and Sitoy asked Ombudsman Conchita

Carpio-Morales to suspend Garcia while the complaints for anti-graft and corrupt practices act and malversation are still pending for investigation.

The two said they conducted an ocular inspection before filing the complaints they made at the property on November 21, 2012. They said Garcia “maliciously and unlawfully does some reclamation work on the area described as submerged in seawater and as mangrove area.”

The two likewise questioned the funds for the alleged reclamation citing Garcia was not authorized by the Provincial Board to spend government funds for the development.

Magpale and Sitoy added that Garcia committed obstruction of justice for allegedly tampering with the physical evidence at the Balili property which was pending before the Sandiganbayan.

Davide filed criminal and administrative complaints against Garcia, provincial treasurer Roy Salubre, Supreme ABF Construction and Construction Supply Company president and general manager Bernabe Gilbor, over the development made at the Balili property.

He said Garcia violated the law considering she was not authorized by the Provincial Board to develop the property. The development cost P27 million.

Garcia however, earlier denied claims that the budget for the development of the Balili property did not go through the board. As evidence, she showed the annual budget which was approved by the board that included site developments, infrastructure and developments of airports and seaports.

She said the budget for the Balili development was included in the approved budgets.  — (FREEMAN)