PB urges Ombudsman to speed up Balili probe

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Board is urging the Ombudsman-Visayas to speed up the investigation into the alleged anomalous purchase of the Balili property in Tinaan, Naga.

The board approved Monday a resolution authored by apposition Board Member Arleigh Sitoy asking the anti-graft body to expedite the investigation.   

"The taxpayers of the Province of Cebu deserve a speedy resolution of the case in as much as it involves a substantial amount of money coming from the coffers of the Cebu provincial government," the resolution read.

The Ombudsman launched a fact-finding investigation into the P98.9 million Capitol transaction based on the requests filed by self-styled graft crusader Crisologo Saavedra and environmental lawyers and media reports that a large portion of the 24.7-hectare property is underwater.

An ocular survey conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) confirmed that 82 percent or 20.2 hectares out of the 24.7-hectare Balili property is submerged in seawater and planted with mangroves.

Despite the fact, a Capitol-created committee headed by the National Bureau of Investigation cleared Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of any responsibility. The NBI-led committee only recommended the filing of administrative charges against the members of the Cebu Provincial Appraisal Committee.

The anti-graft body reportedly has completed the investigation long time ago but has not released its findings until now. Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol however said their findings have to be approved by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

In an earlier interview, Apostol said all cases involving governors or vice governors, be it in a fact-finding stage or in formal adjudication, will be sent to Manila for final approval.

The sudden change of the Ombudsman rules on fact-finding investigations however was believed to have been tailored for Garcia. The approval of fact-finding results used to be in the level of the Ombudsman director only.

However, the rules were suddenly changed when the fact-finding investigation result of another controversial Capitol project, Cebu International Convention Center, was about to be released.

Apostol said he had no choice but to comply since both Balili and CICC fact-finding investigations involved a ranking official.

Last year, Gutierrez issued a memorandum directing the local offices of the Ombudsman to transfer cases involving governors and vice governors to Manila "to further expedite and accelerate the conduct of preliminary investigation and/or administrative adjudication." (FREEMAN)