By a vote of 8:3 from the 14 councilors in favor of the approval of the Revised Revenue Tax Code (RRTC) of Bacolod City, is more than enough that the said Ordinace has to implemented next year.
At a presscon yesterday, Vice Mayor Thaddy Sayson, acting city mayor said, although Councilor El Cid Familiaran has declared it a "lost ordinance, it was overruled by the SP. Bacolod City has been implementing tax collection not within the conformity with RA 7160, because the tax code being followed in tax collection does not also conform with RA 7160 since 1993. The approval of the Revised Revenue Tax Code (RRTC) will be in conformity with RA 7160, however, it would mean increase in tax charges. Bacolod has not increased the taxes but only upon the approval of the RRTC. If others consider it a lost ordinance, then they can question this to the Department of Justice, maybe more on political consideration, Sayson also said. While councilor Caesar Distrito considers the declaration of Acting Vice Mayor/Presiding Officer El Cid just an ignorance of the law to declare it a "lost ordinance". But Acting Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran answered that he is now with the Liberal Party and no longer with the Lakas (MONOPAL). He said the minutes of the SP sessions should show that he makes his decisions based on his sound judgment. "There were many measures I had supported that were not that of my former partymates,"he added. "That is only his opinion," Familiaran said when asked for his reaction to the statement of Distrito "ignorance of the law." Familiaran said he did not say he was right or wrong, but he had to rule. Although he declared the ordinance as "lost," yet he submitted to the motion of the SP to override his ruling, he said. He said he is not a lawyer, so he consulted several lawyers. His decision was based on their legal opinion. He also said Councilor Sonya Verdeflor moved for a subsidiary motion to defer the approval of such decision to the DILG to know if it is allowed to clear the two interpretation. Councilor Homer Bais challenged Coun. Familiaran, that he will resign as councilor if proven in the DOJ that the approval of the revised revenue tax code was illegal. At the same time he challenge Coun. Familiaran to resign from the service if their complaint against the SP members who voted for the approval of RRTC will prosper. Councilor Al Espino, chairman, ways and means committee, and chair, technical working group of the revised revenue tax code, said "the local government tax code must be followed. This is long overdue already. We know this move will affect our political future. The reason why previous legislature did not touch it. But we have to stand on the right choice. Bago City has been implementing correctly RA 7160, same thing with Tagbilaran City. There is no reason why we should not conform with RA 7160 because it is a law," Espino stressed. While City Treasurer Annabelle Badajos said, the Bacolod City government has been defying the tax code because it did not implement the yearly 10% increase in tax collection. RA 7160 must be implemented. Now that the revised revenue tax code was approved, new tax schedule will be implemented soon January 2012. Sayson said, if there will be complaints in the DOJ, then let it be, but collection under the revised tax code will go on. We will adjust if the court so decides we were wrong. But am confident the court will confirm our approval of the new tax code because it is already within the conformity of RA 7160, and the Local Government Code. Edith B. Colmo Negros Daily Bulletin
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