Published by Bohol Chronicle
The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas has ordered Cortes Mayor Apolinaria "Jasmin" H. Balistoy, and his son Municipal Councilor Junn Eckart H. Balistoy to answer the charges filed against them by the members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Cortes led by Vice Mayor Danilo Montero.
In a one-page order dated November 8, 2011 and signed by Virginia Palanca-Santiago, Visayas Assistant Ombudsman, the investigating office found "enough basis to proceed with the criminal/administrative investigation of the aforementioned cases" as contained in two cases docketed as OMB-V-C-11-0386-G and OMB-V-A-11-0418-G.
The Ombudsman Visayas also ordered them to file their counter-affidavit and other controverting evidence to the complaint filed by VM Montero, Councilors Lynn Iven Lim, Celerino Jubac, Jr., Soledad Ligan, Rolando Dela Torre and Martian Iyoy, strictly within ten days from receipt of the order.
The order further stated that "failure to comply as herein directed within the period prescribed by the rules shall be deemed a waiver of the right to preset the party's counter-affidavit or reply-affidavit and the investigation shall proceed according to existing rules".
"The order of the Ombudsman against the respondents will disprove the claim of Mayor Balistoy's camp when they said that nothing will happen to the complaints we filed until next elections", Montero said.
Montero added that among the charges they filed in the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas included Grave Abuse of Authority, Misuse of the Ambulance and Falsification of documents.
When asked to comment on the said cases filed against her, Balitstoy instead informed the Chronicle, in a text message that the Commission on Elections already issued a resolution to conduct an election recall of Vice Mayor Montero which she said could probably be the "first to happen in Bohol.". However, she did not elaborate.
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