Ouano assistance sought in Balili case

A FORMER ally of suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia may be summoned to testify in the Balili graft case filed against her and seven other former and incumbent Capitol officials.

Provincial Board (PB) Member Arleigh Sitoy said PB member Thadeo Ouano can be tapped to air his side on last year’s backfilling of limestone in the Balili property in barangay Tina-an, Naga City.

Ouano is the incumbent chairman of the PB environment committee and he previously didn’t register any objection to the backfilling of the Balili property ordered by Garcia.

Ouano shifted allegiance to the Liberal Party-Cebu (LP-Cebu) from the One Cebu party of the Garcias.

A coal ash facility was planned for the property which is being opposed by ecology groups.

“We can even ask him to testify in our case against the suspended Governor Garcia,” Sitoy said. Sitoy questioned the backfilling of limestone in the Balili property, saying it was illegal.

He said the backfilling was done without PB approval and the property is under investigation by the Ombudsman.

The property was purchased for P98 million but a government survey showed that it was public domain and mostly underwater.

Sitoy also said the backfilling covered one big hole that was intended as a dumpsite for coal ash.

But Ouano said the hole was used as an entry and exit point for seawater since the Balili property mostly consists of fish ponds.

Sitoy said Ouano can be tapped to bolster their case that the backfilling was a reclamation and not a restoration as insisted by Governor Garcia. Correspondent Renan Alangilan