Greg: We're not ganging up Bolo

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. and some members of the provincial board yesterday said they are not ganging up on their colleague, Board Member Juan Bolo, who is now at the center of controversy on the purchase of the alleged submerged property in Barangay Tinaan, Naga.

“As far as I am concerned, he is still part of the board. We are not ganging up John Bolo,” Sanchez said, saying they are not singling out the veteran lawmaker in the controversy.

Along with Sanchez in yesterday’s press conference were Board Members Julian “Teban” Daan, Jose Ma. Gastardo and Wenceslao Gakit. They were at the Barangay Luz in Cebu City where Governor Gwendolyn Garcia handed out deeds of absolute sale to the beneficiaries of the Provincial Ordinance 93-1.

Bolo, who has just resigned as chairman of the committee on real properties, is responsible for the sponsorship of the resolution that gave authority to Garcia to purchase the 24.73 hectare lot in Naga owned by the Balili family.

Bolo has been the direct man in the negotiation of the property since 2006 until it was sold by the Balili family to the provincial government in the amount of P98, 926, 800.

The Balili lot was first offered to the province at P610 per square meter until the price went down to P400 per square meter. 

“Everybody is suspect here because we give the governor the authority,” Sanchez said, clarifying the resolution was approved en masse.

 The controversy aroused when some environmentalists questioned the purchase because some portions of the lot are reportedly submerged.

It was found out, in a survey conducted by the provincial government, that a portion of Lot No. SP 07-01-000048 consisting an area of 89, 124 square meter is submerged in seawater and that a portion of Lot No. 2, SP 07-01-000062 consisting an area of 14, 402 square meters is a mangrove area.

 In a separate interview, Gastardo said they have no doubt when Bolo sponsored the resolution because of the previous transactions involving property like in Minglanilla, Barili and Naga where the Camote plantation is located.

 “There was a presumption that the previous transactions are regular,” Gastardo said.

Lawyer Romeo Balili, the executor of the Balili estate, is expected to appear on tomorrow’s board session to shed light on the controversy.

Talks are also rife that somebody has made money out of commissions from the transactions.

 Bolo has already denied receiving commissions claiming his family especially his wife was already affected by the issues and commentaries in the media.

“I cannot categorically said that he (Bolo) receive anything but with this circumstances of the transactions, there are so many fingerprint of Hon. Bolo, almost all stages of the transactions,” Gastardo said.

He said there is something during tomorrow’s session that he will point out that will even add up to the circumstances that will point to Bolo. But he refused to reveal what he will be pointing out.

 Gakit, chairman of the committee on budget and finance, said he never doubted his colleague when he sponsored the resolution.

Daan, for his part, refused to comment on the controversy as he respected Bolo as his partner in representing the first district of Cebu.

Last week, Garcia accused Bolo of having introduced the property to her, negotiated for its sale and frequently followed it up.

The governor has already created a body that will investigate the issue especially to identify the people involved in the land and those who have benefited from it, if any. — Garry B. Lao/WAB (THE FREEMAN)