Gwen told: File counter-affidavit to ex-consultant’s plaint

THE Office of the Ombudsman is asking Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to file her counter-affidavit on the supplementary complaint filed by a former consultant of the office of the Vice Governor.

Manuel Manuel, former consultant on Agriculture of the Office of the Vice Governor, gave copies of the Order from the  Preliminary Investigation, Administrative Adjudication & Review Bureau (PARB) of the Office of the Ombudsman to Cebu Daily News and other media outfits on Saturday.

Manuel, in a phone interview said that he received the order from PARB on Friday.

Manuel said he was happy that PARB really put weight on his complaint.

The Supplementary Complaint was in relation to the criminal complaint filed by Manuel against Garcia last December 2010 related to the Balili lot purchase.

Manuel earlier challenged the Provincial Board to prove that the legislature didn’t ratify a resolution authorizing Garcia to sign on behalf of the province an agreement for the sale of 11 parcels of land owned by the estate of the late engineer Luis J. Balili in Naga City.

“The Balili land purchase is highly irregular and Bolo facilitated the whole process. But, Bolo openly commented that he was just following instructions from the governor. The bone of contention now is that whether the resolution-authority was ratified or not,” he said.

Manuel told Cebu Daily News that he re-filed this complaint last May in order to reiterate his point that Garcia violated the Anti Graft Corrupt Practices Act or RA 3019 Sec 3 Paragraph A which defines corrupt practices of public officers.

It states that “in addition to acts or omissions of public officers already penalized by existing law, the following shall constitute corrupt practices of any public officer and are hereby declared to be unlawful; persuading, inducing or influencing another public officer to perform an act constituting a violation of rules and regulations duly promulgated by competent authority or an offense in connection with the official duties of the latter, or allowing himself to be persuaded, induced, or influenced to commit such violation or offense.”

Manuel said that he wished to see Garcia suspended as a result of this complaint.

Garcia is given 10 days to file her counter-affidavit. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus