Provincial Board to reopen probe on Balili lot purchase

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Board will reopen its investigation into the controversial purchase of the Balili property in Tinaan, Naga due to “new evidence.”

Ten board members supported the motion of majority leader Victor Maambong, who authored the resolution requesting the chairmen of the committees on Ethics and Complaints and Investigation to re-open the investigation, where the name of their colleague Juan Bolo has been dragged into it.

The board’s fact finding committee, early last month, after gathering substantial information from sources it had invited into its hearings, had decided to wrap up its inquiry.

But Maambong, in a resolution, said that the “pieces of evidence” recently discovered “must be dealt with by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan so as to determine not only the probative value but also the relevance and materiality of such fact.”

By “pieces of evidence,” Maambong was referring to media stories on Bolo’s allegedly admitting that he had given P50,000 as tax payment to provincial treasurer Roy Salubre.

Maambong got the support of fellow board members Agnes Magpale, Wilfredo Caminero, Victoria Corominas, Jose Ma. Gastardo, Wenceslao Gakit, Teresita Celis, Alfred Francis Ouano, Peter John Calderon, Rosemarie Durano, Cesar Ian Geronimo Zambo, Joven Mondigo Jr., and Bea Mercede Calderon to re-open the investigation.

Maambong said that under the official memorandum of agreement, the vendors, the estate of Luis J. Balili represented by their executor Atty. Romeo Balili, “are charged with the obligation to pay for the taxes on the sale of their property.”

Meanwhile, before the motion was approved, Gastardo manifested that he did not see the point in re-tackling the case, as the reason why they dipped their hands into the controversy was to prevent anymore similar incident in the future.

“We have agreed to terminate this three sessions ago, because we felt we already have more than enough resource persons which could address our concerns. Flaws like what may have been committed might be prevented in the future. The reopening of the investigation I believe would not in any way aid us more to make any further suggestions and recommendation that we would intend to submit to the office of the governor,” Gastardo said.

He said that it is now the special investigating body created by Governor Gwen Garcia to determine the persons accountable for such mess.

Maambong, for his part, insisted that they could not just “close our eyes” if they let the evidence pass.

“The evidence is right before us, we just have to verify. If we don’t establish that, then we close it. Anyway, we are not concluding. We ask Salubre or anyone involved. Whether it is true or not,” he said.

After the motion was approved without any more questions, the board went to discuss as to who it would invite to shed light on the new evidence.

When asked if he could name these sources, Bolo does not know, and added: “I never talked of giving money to anybody.”

Columnists Loyd Suarez and Ricky Poca, who wrote articles regarding the alleged admission of Bolo, might be invited by the board.

The purchase of the Balili property worth P98.7 million became controversial when it was found out that portions of the property were underwater or planted with mangroves, thus could not be titled. — Liv Campo/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)