Balili refund seen

The Cebu provincial government is one step closer to getting a P37.8-million refund from the original owners of the controversial Balili property in Naga city.

Cebu Regional Trial Court Judge Raphael Yrastorza denied the opposition of Amparo Balili to the Capitol’s demand for a refund. A survey revealed that a big portion of the land bought by the Province of Cebu for P98.9 million in barangay Tinan-an, Naga City, is underwater.

Balili’s lawyer Cesar Tabo-tabo is seeking the court’s reconsideration on the ruling.

Judge Yrastorza will hear the parties’ arguments in a hearing today.

A survey by environment officials showed that most of the 24.9 hectares of the Balili property bought by the province was underwater and classified as public domain.The survey recommended that the province only pay for the dry land.

In its petition, Capitol officials said that had it known that the contested lots were submerged and were planted to mangroves, they would have paid only for the dry land.

The defendants of the case are the the Estate of Luis Balili; Amparo Balili, widow of the landowner; and lawyer Romeo Balili, the executor of the estate. /Ador Vincent S. Mayol, Reporter