Guv: Involvement in tax assessment ministerial

CEBU, Philippines - Reacting to the alleged erroneous real estate tax imposed on a 64-hectare property in Barangay Uling, Naga City, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said her involvement was only ministerial.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas decided to investigate Garcia and other Capitol officials after it granted the motion for reconsideration filed by complainant landowner Leopolda Cecilio and lawyer Rodolfo Morelos.

The complainant asked the Ombudsman to take a closer look at the tax declaration issued by government assessors on the property.

“And if it involves me, on the ministerial level because I’m the governor at the time they questioned the tax assessment,” Garcia said.

Garcia said she is waiting for the Ombudsman to require her to answer the complaint now docketed by the anti-graft office.

Other respondents are Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre, Provincial Assessor Anthony Sususco, Naga City Assessor Alfredo Yong, Naga Treasurer Anna Maria Gabilan, Provincial Registry of Deeds Officer Manolo Rubi and Bureau of Internal Revenue-Central Visayas Director Jose Tan and Revenue District Officer Rogelio Balaga.

Cecilio and Morelos alleged that the government officials committed abuse of authority and conspired to falsify a notice of levy for non-payment of taxes on the Naga property.

The Provincial Government forfeited the 64-hectare property in favor of the government due to the landowner’s alleged failure to pay taxes.

The Capitol’s computation of taxes on the property since 1980, which amounted to P9 million was questioned by Cecilio and Morelos.

They claimed that based on their own assessment, the real estate tax, penalties and other charges owed on the property should only be P123,415 from 2002 to 2007, or at P4,407.68 annually.

The anti-graft office earlier dismissed the complaint against the respondents for lack of evidence prompting the complainants to file a motion for reconsideration.

In granting the motion, Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer Luz Awayan said that after careful perusal of the entire record, the complaint is found to be sufficient in form and substance.

Awayan pointed out that the tax payment in question was made on the basis of assessment in Tax Declaration 028-27654, which nullified Tax Declaration 020997, imposing higher tax assessment.

“If it were true that tax declaration 028-27654 nullified Tax Declaration 020997, then the levy has no basis,” said Awayan.—(FREEMAN)