Friday, December 19, 2008 Stall owners given grace period for tax payment
AN OFFICIAL of the Zamboanga City Government on Thursday disclosed that they have given owners of padlocked stalls a one year grace period to pay their arrears in taxes.
City Permits and Licensing Division Chief Dangin Jacinto said the stalls would be raffled to other businessmen who are interested to do business in Zamboanga City if their owners fail to pay their tax arrears.
"We will declare the stalls vacant and raffle them to interested applicants," Jacinto said.
He said several businessmen engaged in the buy and sell business are interested in acquiring stalls at the Sta. Cruz Commercial Complex.
The Sta. Cruz Commercial Complex is located at the intersection of Gov. Camins and Veterans Avenue in the village of Tetuan. It is just across the street from the city's Bagsakan Center.
The Bagsakan Center is where farmers bring their fresh farm products to from their respective farms.
Last Monday, local government personnel backed by policemen padlocked 190 stalls at the Sta. Cruz Commercial Complex for non-payment of taxes and operating without the required business permits.
Among the stalls that were padlocked are those at the meat and vegetable sections as well as stalls of used clothes, locally known as "ukay-ukay", for sale, other dry goods, and barter goods and nine charcoal stalls of the Sta. Cruz Commercial Complex.
Assistant City Administrator Elmeir Apolinario disclosed that the owners of the stalls owe the City Government some P4.96 million in unpaid taxes since 2003.
Apolinario said some of the stall owners have already paid their dues to the City Government and have resumed business operations.
He said the rest of the stalls remained padlocked since no payment was made by the occupants. (Bong Garcia)
