Inaprubahan ni Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ang rekomendasyon na kasuhan ng paglabag sa anti-graft law si Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia kaugnay sa ginawang pagbili ng lupa sa lalawigan na ang malaking bahagi ay nakalubog umano sa tubig-dagat.

Pinakakasuhan ng Ombudsman sa Sandiganbayan ng two counts ng graft at technical marversation si Garcia dahil sa umano’y disadvantageous procurement ng Cebu Provincial government ng 25-hektaryang Balili Estate sa Naga City, Cebu na nagkakahalaga ng P98.9 milyon.

Batay sa ginawang pagsusuri, lumitaw umano na 19.67 hektarya ng nasabing lupain ay nakalubog sa tubig.

“Considering that a large portion of the said parcels of land or about 196,696 square meters are submerged in seawater, hence it cannot be used for the purposes for which they were acquired," paliwanag sa reklamo.

Naglipat din umano ng pondo si Garcia para mabili ang nasabing ari-arian na gagamitin sa programang pabahay.

Sa isang kaso, kasama ni Garcia sa reklamo sina dating Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Juan Bolo, ex-chairman ng Cebu Provincial Appraisal Committee (CPAC) at Provincial Assessor Anthony Sususco; dating CPAC member at Treasurer na si Roy Salubre; officer-in-charge Provincial Engineer Eulogio Pelayre; dating Provincial Budget Officer Emme Gingoyon; Amparo Balili at Romeo Balili.

Sa reklamo, inakusahan ng Ombudsman ang mga inirereklamo na: “committing the offense (graft) in relation to their respective offices, while in the performance of their functions and taking advantage of their positions, with manifest parliamentary and evident bad faith, acting together, conspiring and confederating with one another and with Amparo Balili and Romeo Balili, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and criminally cause undue injury to the government in the amount of ninety eight million nine hundred twenty six thousand eight hundred pesos."

Dagdag pa sa reklamo: “Consequently giving Amparo Balili and the estate of Luis Balili unwarranted benefits in the same amount when Garcia entered into a Memorandum of Agreement dated 21 April 2008, for and on behalf of the Province of Cebu, with Amparo Balili and the estate of Luis Balili, represented by Romeo Balili, for the purpose of a portion of the Balili Estate with a total area of 249,246 square meters."

Si Garcia, kilalang kaalyado ni dating Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, at isa sa mga binabanggit na pangalan ng United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) na nais nilang isabak sa senatorial elections sa 2013. (Basahin: VP Binay open to LP-UNA alliance in 2013 polls)

Wala pang inilalabas na pahayag si Garcia tungkol sa nasabing kaso. - RP/FRJ, GMA News