The Commission on Audit gave Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella 45 days to settle his report on the P50.5 million fund he used for his province’s hosting of the five events in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, but the Philippine Sports Commission yesterday reiterated it will pursue the plunder case it filed against the lawmaker for his alleged failure to liquidate the money on time.

"It’s too late," PSC lawyer Six Brillantes said of Puentevella’s move. "It’s nothing but a mere extension and has nothing to do with the investigation to be conducted by the Department of Justice, with which we filed the plunder case against him."

The PSC is accusing Puentevella of plunder after he received the amount from the PSC in behalf of the Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Basoc), in which he served as chairman. The money, according to the PSC, however, was deposited in Puentevella’s personal account.

Brillantes added that the case is already in the hands of the DoJ and the PSC has no control over the decision of the special prosecutor who would be assigned to handle it.

Puentevella was given more than three years to liquidate the amount, according to Brillantes

Brillantes said it was CoA, through Mario Lipana, the auditor assigned in the PSC, who recommended the filing of the charge. Lipana will be standing as the principal witness against Puentevella in the non-bailable criminal offense.

"If he’ll be cleared, then he could use it as a defense," Brillantes told the Daily Tribune. "But we don’t think he could comply. We’ve already given him more than three years to liquidate, but until now, he could not explain where the money went."

"The investigation would push through because it has already been filed before the DoJ," he added. "Wala kaming pakialam sa kanya, basta tuloy ang kaso."

PSC chairman Harry Angping, however, said the grace period will not get Puentevella off the hook since he still has to convince the CoA that he properly managed the fund. And should he fail to liquidate within 45 working days, he has to return the amount to the government if he wants to extricate himself of the case.

"That matter is already between the DoJ and Monico," he said. "I’m sure there will be no whitewash in this case. He still has to liquidate to the satisfaction of CoA or return the full amount to the PSC."