by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - It appears Department of Administration Director Benita Manglona wasn't the only one summoned in the federal class action lawsuit involving the payment of past due tax refunds, summons were also issued to Governor Eddie Baza Calvo and Department of Revenue and Taxation Director John Camacho.

In the meantime the plaintiffs have filed an amended complaint to their initial lawsuit. It was in April Ria and Jeffrey Paeste along with Sharon Zapanta filed the class action suit to compel the government of Guam to pay close to $270 million in past due tax refunds. In the amended complaint, Glenn Zapanta has joined in on the litigation as a plaintiff and added as defendants were Governor Calvo, Manglona and Camacho. The three are being sued in their official capacities.

According to the amended complaint the plaintiffs are now asking that the government be forced to budget and pay current and future tax refunds on time. They are also asking that the defendants be required to implement a program wherein expedited payments of tax refunds are based on verifiable and consistent criteria, and oversight, "wherein one's prospects for having a request be approved do not depend on one's political connections or on who happens to review the request," court documents state.

Governor Calvo has said the class action lawsuit was another reason why lawmakers should act on his bond borrowing plan to pay out all past due tax refunds that are owed.