Ex-QC treasurer charged with graft

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has filed a graft case against former Quezon City treasurer Edgar Villanueva for unlawfully imposing real property taxes on the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation Inc. (MSBFI) from 2011 to 2012.

In the case information sheet filed by the ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan on Jan. 24, Villanueva was charged with violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Section 3 (e) of RA 3019 prohibits public officials from giving any party unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference or causing any party, including the government, undue injury.

The ombudsman said that from May 2011 to July 2012, Villanueva imposed real property taxes on MSBFI for a seven-hectare property that the foundation was occupying at that time as its office.

The ombudsman said Villanueva should not have compelled the MSBFI to pay the taxes as the real owner of the property was the National Housing Authority, “a government instrumentality exempt from paying taxes.”

The ombudsman further said no Notice of Assessment of tax liability was served to MSBFI prior to compelling the foundation to pay up.

The ombudsman said that with MSBFI’s failure to pay the taxes,Villanueva also ordered the auction of the property, resulting in the MSBFI’s eviction and loss of monthly rental income from its tenants amounting P783,083.

The ombudsman set Villanueva’s bail at P30,000.

The ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Villanueva in February 2016 for administrative offense of oppression, still in connection with the anomaly.