The Office of the Ombudsman has recommended the filing of a complaint of Cortes Mayor Apolinaria Balistoy for violation of at least two laws arising from the mayor’s claim for reimbursement for the payments of training and travel expenses in the aggregate amount of P155,791.00. At the same time , the same office also recommended the suspension of the lady mayor “considering the propensity on the part of Mayor Balistoy to violate existing laws, rules and regulations: travelling outside of her municipality in several instances without the authority from the office of the governor, submitting questionable supporting documents including certificates of attendance to justify her claim for reimbursement. Through Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, the investigation report meted out the suspension recommendation to prevent her possible interference and or exercise of influence as a sitting mayor as regards the evidence and witnesses against her.

The order said the suspension was recommended pending the investigation on the complaint pursuant to Section 24 of Republic Act 6770. The complaint stemmed from the letter-complaint dated May 15, 2011 of V-Mayor Danilo Montero, Municipal Councilors Lynn Iven Lim, Celerino Jubac, Jr. Soledad Ligan, Martian Iyoy and Rolando de la Torre, all of the municipality of Cortes. In their complaint, the Cortes officials denounced Mayor Balistoy and her son, Sangguniang Bayan member Junn Eckart Balistoy, and several employees of the Cortes LGU for alleged irregularities and anomalous transactions involving public funds of the municipality. The instant investigation centered on the following issues: unauthorized or unofficial travel of Mayor Balistoy and her son; questionable claims for reimbursement for travel and training expenses; and submission of altered and or falsified official receipts to the Commission on Audit (COA) for liquidation purposes.

Going over the issues involved, the Ombudsman found sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of criminal and administrative charges against Mayor Balistoy. The anti-graft body also found Daphne Roxas, executive director of UKP/AWNGAD as a conspirator of the mayor. The anti-graft investigators said that Roxas should be criminally charged for falsification under paragraph (4) of Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code I(making untruthful statements in a narration of facts) and violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019 in relation to the claims of reimbursements for travel and training expenses defrayed by the municipality of Cortes without the requisite travel authority from the Office of the Governor and submission of questionable Certificates of Attendance on Trainings and or Seminars. In the investigation order, no mention was made on the fate of the mayor’s son although in the charge raised by the vice mayor, his name was included in the letter-complaint. Efforts to get the side of Mayor Balistoy as of press time last night yielded negative results.