NEWS BRIEFS

Fiscal questioned on allowances

A graft complaint was filed by a Lapu-Lapu City businesswoman against Regional State Prosecutor

Fernando Gubalane.

In her complaint to the Ombudsman-Visayas, Brenda Tan questioned the allowances received by Gubalane as excessive.

She said he received P72,400 from local government units (LGUs) when he should be receiving slightly more than P30,000.

Under Republic Act 10071 section 16, prosecutors shall receive allowances from their respective government units in amounts not exceeding 50 percent of their basic salaries.

Tan said Gubalane receives P72,400 in allowances from 11 sources: P12,000 from Cebu City and another P12,000 from Cebu province.

In an interview, Gubalane said the woman did not apply the rule correctly. He said allowances are limited to 50 percent per local government unit and not 50 percent of the sum total of all allowances he is receiving.

He said he uses part of the allowances for other expenses in activities in court and in DOJ.

Gubalane said his salary is at grade 30 step 5 but wouldn’t confirm the amount. Gubalane clarified that he is not receiving allowances from Danao City and Bogo City.

He confirmed that he receives allowances from Cebu City, Cebu province, Mandaue City, Talisay City, and Department of Justice, which includes travel, cash, inquest and special allowances.

In a text message, Gubalane said allowances granted to prosecutors by the LGUs are “legal” and allowed under the Local Government Code of the Philippines, City Ordinances, and Republic Act 10071 or the Prosecution Service Act of 2010.

Gubalane said he will file perjury charges against Tan. Correspondent Carine M. Asutilla and Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol

Saavedra out of case

BUSINESSMAN Crisologo Saavedra was kept out of the usurpation case filed by the late vice governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. against Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

In its order, copies of which were distributed by Sanchez’s daughter Grecylda “Gigi” Sanchez- Zaballero, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said it denied Saavedra’s motion for lack of merit.

Saavedra, a former consultant of Sanchez, filed his petition before the DILG-7 last July 1.

Saavedra said the case involved public interest and as a “taxpayer,” he had the right to intervene.

But the DILG said the grounds cited in Saavedra’s case were different and did not apply.

The hearing of the usurpation was reset.

The governor’s daughter and lead counsel Cristina Codilla-Frasco said they asked the DILG to resolve their motion for dismissal on the case before the hearing is reset this month.

The governor has asked the DILG to exclude the vice governor’s daughter from the case.

In their motion, Frasco said Gigi Sanchez-Zaballero has no legal standing in the case since her father, the chief complainant, passed away. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus