Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Speak out: City’s turn to pay the taxpayer By Patricia Perez
EVERY year our family pays the real property taxes of our properties at Capitol Site even if we had to pay back the high interests for taxes paid already. I cannot forget how former city treasurer Ofelia Oliva reacted to the taxpayers’ cry against the high interest rates: pay first before you complain.
Now, it’s the City’s turn to pay the taxpayer, and what does it tell us to do? Drop the interest and we will pay the balance. Is this the price my mother gets for being stripped of the right to own her property? Is this the price of eminent domain? Is the owner being penalized, stripped and abused for giving up a property so city officials can make promises during election time? Government talks so much about the rights of the squatters, what about the rights of my poor mother? DROP THE INTEREST? Please, Sir, tell that to the Court.
We have patiently waited for six long years, waited for every court decisions and orders when they would come out, watched our mama grew older, at 81 scaling the long stairs of the Palace of Justice grasping for breath just to attend expropriation proceedings, painfully watched our sister struggle the big C, but the clock ticked too fast for them and the waiting was too much. Gone are they without enjoying fully the fruits of the struggle for justice.
The City knew how much it would cost them to expropriate my mother’s property, then councilor Danilo Fernan during the deliberation of Ordinance 1920 approving the expropriation of lot 1049, told council members that the “owners are willing to sell at P4,500.” Former councilor Joy Pesquera further assured the body that “whatever the court will decide, I will include it in the budget.” The court has decided, Madam, when you were still a member of the council. Councilor Pacaña closed the deliberation saying: “Because the Mayor said it is urgent, so he has the money.” Election is not too near, Sir.
I guess the waiting does not matter anymore, we have waited six years to fight this battle in court against the powerful might, surely there are other remedies, maybe not today, not tomorrow, maybe when humane leaders take hold of the city, but one thing is sure, as sure as the sun rises, the 12 percent interest on the principal will continue to pile up.
