Thursday, August 16, 2012

MANILA (Updated 4:26 p.m.) -- The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan issued Thursday three hold departure orders (HDO) against Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and seven others who were accused of graft and technical malversation charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last month.

The order was in connection with the 25-hectare Balili Estate in Tinaan, Naga City, which was bought by the Cebu Provincial Government for P98.9 million in 2008.

The three HDOs dated July 24 were signed by Associate Justice Teresita Diaz-Baldos, the second division's chairman. It was concurred by Associate Justices Napoleon Inoturan and Oscar Herrera Jr.

Copies of the HDOs had already been furnished to the Bureau of Immigration, a line agency under the Department of Justice.

To recall, the Office of the Ombudsman slapped Garcia with two counts of graft and one count of technical malversation over the Provincial Government's anomalous purchase of land for a housing site back in 2008.

It was found out that a "large portion" of the 11 parcels of the Balili Estate were submerged in seawater.

"A large portion of the said parcels of land or about 196,696 square meters are submerged in seawater, hence cannot be used for the purposes for which they were acquired," the Ombudsman complaint read.

The court also issued an HDO against her co-accused who were slapped with one count of graft each, including, Juan Bolo, former provincial council member; Anthony Sususco, former Cebu Provincial Appraisal Committee (CPAC) chairman and provincial assessor; Roy Salubre and Eulogio Pelaypre, former CPAC members; Emme Gingoyon, former provincial budget officer; and Amparo, and Romeo Balili.

The Cebu governor and her co-accused would need to file a motion to travel before the Sandiganbayan if they intend to leave the country.

Garcia is one of the potential senatorial candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance for the 2013 midterm elections. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)