PROVINCIAL Board (PB) Member Juan Bolo denied yesterday that he had given P50,000 to Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre as tax payment, but still the ad hoc committee hearing was re-opened yesterday.

Through a resolution authored by PB Member Victor Maambong, with 11 other PB members as co-sponsors, the probe on the controversial land purchase was revived.

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Only two PB members—Bea Mercede Calderon, the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation Provincial president, and Julian “Teban” Daan, Bolo’s fellow first district PB member, did not sign the resolution.

On motion of Maambong, the PB decided to confront Bolo about a news report that an unnamed source has claimed that he had given the amount to Salubre.

Since Bolo was present when the resolution was passed yesterday, Maambong said they asked him about it.

Despite Bolo’s denial, the PB decided to push through with the hearing, which will be scheduled during non-session days. It will be open to the public.

The PB members said the many news accounts about the alleged admission of Bolo prompted them to re-open the inquiry.

To shed light

The PB might also invite the columnists who had written about it and will also invite Salubre to shed light on the issue.

PB Member Alfred Francis Ouano, chairperson of the ethics committee and of the ad hoc committee investigating the Balili lot deal together with PB Member Joven Mondigo Jr., said he needs to read all the news reports about Bolo’s alleged giving out of P50,000 to Salubre.

Since it is a PB-initiated investigation, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 Director Medardo De Lemos said that even if they have read news reports about it, they will not incorporate it in their fact-finding investigation.

De Lemos heads the fact-finding committee formed by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia when the issue broke out.

De Lemos said in an interview that they have gathered statements from persons concerned but have yet to hold a final deliberation.

They have also asked Garcia to extend the submission of the report to mid-November because they were not able to meet owing to the unavailability of the committee members. (RSA)