Tuesday, October 14, 2008 Chinoy traders up in arms By Cong B. Corrales
LOCAL Chinoy traders have threatened to close their shops on Wednesday to protest on what they called "harassments" from the regional and local offices of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
Leaders of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Associations have met with Mayor Constantino Jaraula Monday afternoon and are reportedly in a huddle Monday night in preparation for Wednesday's protest action.
Surprisingly, none of the Chinoy traders want to come forward publicly and issue any statements to the local media. Many of them told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that they fear the BIR will "get back" at those who will participate in the protest action.
Efforts by Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro to call Rodolfo Menes, president of Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. and Efren Uy, president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, failed Monday night. None of the two officials returned Sun.Star's calls and text messages.
But businessman Frank Rolida, a member of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association, confirmed that local Chinoy traders are planning to go on a one-day holiday on Wednesday.
Rolida said the protest action, if it will push through, will be voluntary among the Chinoy traders in Cagayan de Oro.
Rolida said he is still weighing whether to join or not.
"Tan-awon ta lang. Voluntary ra man ang pag-answer sa call sa coalition (Let's see. Answering the call of the coalition is only voluntary)," Rolida told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
But the threat from the Chinoy traders was apparently real for Mayor Jaraula immediately called Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to relay their demands to Malacañang.
Jaraula appealed to the traders to postpone their protest action until next week to let Malacañang decide on their demands.
Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro sources said the traders are asking for the removal of BIR-Northern Mindanao Regional Director Mustapha Gandarosa, Cagayan de Oro Revenue District Officer Ester Palala and a certain Madoding Ismael, reportedly a chief of a tax collection taskforce at the regional BIR office.
Jaraula assured the traders that if Malacañang does not act decisively by Monday next week, the City Hall leadership will fully support the protest action.
The mayor also said that local Chinoy traders are good taxpayers, citing the records of Cagayan de Oro as number 3 in prompt tax collection and as number 1 in Northern Mindanao.
"Tagaan unta og lugway ang atong mga negosyante," Jaraula said.
Local officials of the BIR office have been the subject of complaints by local traders since 2006.
Businessmen told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro on conditions that they will not be identified that they are fed up by the BIR which frequently "harass" them for non-existent tax cases.
They said one of the modus operandi of the BIR is to inspect the accounting books of their stores. The BIR would then give them fines if something is amiss in their books, the traders said.
The traders said the BIR would then demand money in exchange for lower taxes.
Mixed reactions
The plan by the Chinoy was first heard at the City Council plenary session when Councilor President Elipe told his colleagues during his privilege speech. Elipe got wind of the plan after being told by a friend who happened to be Chinoy trader.
Elipe said he felt sorry for the employees of the participating stores who are daily wage earners.
"Kung magsara ang mga establisamento dini sa syudad. Luoy ang mga trabahante ani sa ilang sweldo," Elipe said.
Councilor Roger Abaday said local traders should instead file a case against the BIR officials and not burden the consumers.
"The problem with some of the traders, they are not brave enough to file a case in court if indeed the BIR (Northern Mindanao) is collecting more than what is mandated in the National Internal Revenue Code," Abaday said.
"Nganong apilon man nila ang mga katawhan sa ilang tax problems," he added.
Councilor Reynaldo Advincula, who owned several stalls in Cogon public market, is ecstatic on the traders' plan.
Advincula said small market vendors in the city public markets would benefit because many consumers will buy their needs in their stalls if the big stores of Chinoy traders will not open.
Another councilor who is also a businessman said the plan by the Chinoy traders caught him by surprise. He said the BIR will "surely" get back at those who are against them.
"Di mao na nga pamaagi. Daghan madamay, daghan walay trabaho ana," said the councilor who asked not to be identified.
He said he believed many traders in Cagayan de Oro City will not heed the call since many of them have their own business problems to consider.
"Dili makasabay ang kadaghanan tungod kay naay daily sales nga apason, ang uban naay mga utang sa bangko," the councilor said.
He said the traders should resort to dialogue instead of closing their shops in protest.
