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Friday, June 30, 2006
Dads slap Pacman with tax
By Rene H. Martel
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
MANNY “Pacman” Pac-quiao may dodge punches thrown in the ring, but he could not evade paying taxes the Cebu City Government will impose on the special screening of his fight with Mexican Oscar “Chololo” Larios this Sunday.
His outfit, MP Promotions, requested that it be allowed to show the fight live in SM Cinemas for a fee, but without tax.
But the Cebu City Council voted against granting him tax exemption.
Substantial amount
Councilors did not want to let go of what may be a substantial amount that could go a long way for the City.
Councilor Rodrigo Abe-llanosa cited that the City earned some P900,000 in taxes from showing the fight between Pacquiao and Mexican Morales last March 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquaio knocked off his opponent in the 11th round of the fight, which SM City mall showed in four of its cinemas for a fee of P350 to P400 per person.
But Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera learned that this time, only one cinema will be used and only 800 of the 1,200 seats are
reserved.
Despite that, the City would still get a considerable amount as tax, she said.
The councilors debated lengthily on the proposed resolution of sports committee chairman Sylvan Jakosalem.
They also had to decide through a vote, which is a rare occurrence in the council whose members belong to one party.
Jakosalem first asked that MP Promotions be granted full tax exemption. He was forced to amend the proposal for it to pay 10 percent instead of the usual 30 percent as amusement tax.
But there were still objections, so presiding officer Hilario Davide III subjected the proposal to a vote.
They had a voting thrice before they came up with a decision.
Davide first asked the councilors to answer “aye” or “nay.” But the answers were unclear, so he repeated the voting by making them raise their hands.
Some councilors looked undecided, forcing Davide to adopt a roll call voting.
Councilors Eduardo Rama, Jakosalem, Arsenio Pacaña, Christopher Alix, Procopio Fernandez, and Rodolfo Estella voted for the resolution.
Majority vote
Councilors Nestor Archival, Abellanosa, Edgar-do Labella, and Jose Daluz III voted against it; while Glena Bontuyan, Gabriel Leyson, Pesquera, and Carillo abstained.
Councilors Augustus Pe Jr., Edwin Jagmoc Sr. and Raul Alcoseba were absent.
Although there were more councilors who voted for the proposal, the six of them were not enough to muster a majority vote of eight.
Under their house rules, a measure is approved only by a vote of half of those present plus one vote.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 30, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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