Cebu Gov Garcia pleads not guilty to graft raps

Suspended Cebu Gov Gwen Garcia CDN PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Cebu City Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Friday pleaded not guilty to charges of graft and corruption and illegal use of public funds in connection with the alleged questionable purchase of the Balili property in Naga City worth P98.9 million.

Garcia personally appeared in court after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant for her arrest when she failed to appear Thursday for her arraignment.

The anti-graft court has set the preliminary conference for her case on May 29 and 30 while the pre-trial is set on June 17 and 18.

Garcia is facing 2 counts of graft and 1 count of illegal use of public funds for the Cebu provincial government’s purchase of 24.7 hectares of beachfront property now being developed as a coal ash waste landfill. The purchase price was P98.9 million. Garcia, denied that there was anything anomalous in the land purchase, saying she was “not aware” the property was under water because she relied on the report of the Provincial Appraisal Committee, which omitted technical findings that almost 20 hectares of the 24.7 hectares were under water.

Garcia was also meted a 6- month suspension for an administrative case of grave abuse of authority in dealing with the late Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr.

She tried to get a temporary restraining order from the Court of Appeals but failed, prompting her to stay inside the Cebu Provincial Capitol for weeks before she was finally booted out.