PROVINCIAL Board (PB) Member Victor Maambong will push for the re-opening of the Balili investigation on Monday.

He is one of the five PB members who want to ask why fellow PB Member Juan Bolo admitted in a news report that he gave P50,000 to Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre allegedly for the payment of taxes.

Bolo has denied the accusation.

The fact-finding committee formed by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia also wants to ask for an extension of their investigation until middle of this month.

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The 30-day period given by the governor was insufficient, said Capitol spokesperson Rory Jon Sepulveda, who is also a member of the investigation committee.

Maambong, PB Members Agnes Magpale, Wilfredo Caminero, Peter John Calderon and Joven Mondigo Jr. want to know why Bolo gave the amount to Salubre since the Balili transaction was tax free and the seller would be the one to shoulder on the payment of the taxes as stated in the deed of sale.

Although Salubre earlier denied this, Maambong said the matter needs to be looked into further.

Maambong said that it may take some time for the PB ad hoc committee to finish their report, but what matters is they have done something about the Bolo’s admission.

Bolo was then chairman of the committee on municipal and provincial properties and admitted he was the one who facilitated the controversial Balili land deal.

The PB recently decided to close the hearing of the case and had already marked evidence for exhibits after less than two months.

Sepulveda, on the other hand, said there are many factors for their inability to meet the 30-day period required by Garcia in an executive order, Sepulveda said. 

Among these are the number of resource persons, the number of issues, the availability of the committee members, and the preparation of minutes and other records.

They also lacked time for deliberation.

Right now, they are still in the “process of coming up” with findings and recommendations for Garcia.