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Tuesday, October 07, 2003
3 dads oppose condonation of PLDT tax debts
By Aurea A. Gerundio
AT LEAST three city councilors are not keen on granting the request of the
Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Co. (PLDT) to the City Council to condone surcharges and interests of its remaining tax liabilities before the request letter is even received by the council.
"I will not support PLDT's request for condonation of surcharges and interests because they can afford to pay it," Councilor Liborio Lumain said.
A similar opinion was echoed by Councilor Beethoven Orcullo in an interview earlier. He believes that it is only proper to collect the amount of tax liabilities due for PLDT.
"Unfair kaayo sa uban businesses nga nagabayad ug taxes unya ang PLDT dili (It's unfair for other businesses that are paying appropriate taxes while PLDT becomes exempt)," Orcullo added.
Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang also vowed to oppose any proposal granting (PLDT) a condonation of penalties and surcharges of franchise tax to avoid perceptions that local lawmakers are favoring big corporations.
"If we will grant the request of PLDT it will really open the floodgates of requests and eventually the council will forfeit any legal and moral grounds to deny similar request from the other local or national companies," said Dayanghirang, who chairs the Council committee on energy transportation and communication.
"While we are strict in imposing taxes to small enterprises like the sari-sari store and stall owners that acquire profits not even enough to their daily needs, the more we should assert the right of the city on these very lucrative business like telecommunications," he added.
Meanwhile, Councilor Emmanuel Galicia expressed willingness to study the pending request of the PLDT to the council regarding the matter.
"I will not make any assurances. Depende na lang kung unsa man ang merits sa ilahang request. Tun-an lang na sa council ug maayo (that will depend on the merits of their request. The City Council will just have to study their request thoroughly)," Galicia said.
(October 7, 2003 issue)
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