THE LOCAL government of La Trinidad reiterated the revised revenue code is valid amid petition filed by taxpayers in the municipality.
Acting on the appeal filed on January 31 by La Trinidad traders seeking the nullification of the new revised revenue code, the La Trinidad was ordered by the Department of Justice to comment on the petition.
The municipality has reacted to the appeal of 29 petitioners to the DOJ with 500 signatories coming from the business sector against the increase of tax rates, fees, and or charges under the revised revenue code stating the code is “baseless, unreasonable, unjust, excessive, oppressive and contrary to the declared national policy.”
“Appellees respectfully pray for this honorable office to consider the foregoing comments and deny that the prayer of the appellants to declare the municipal ordinance no. 24-2017 or the revised revenue code of 2017 as null and void,” stated in the comment of the municipality submitted on February 28 to the Office of the Secretary.
Traders claim the ordinance has not undergone the proper procedure despite the local government unit manifesting the ordinance is valid and has complied with the requirements of the law while acknowledging that a conduct of public consultation were made prior to its implementation.
Attached were a copy of the affidavit of the secretary of the local council of posted notices of public hearings to four places within La Trinidad, copies of actual notice, copy of the first page of the ordinance where the representatives of the different barangays have receipt of a copy, a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the public hearing on November 17, 2017 with the attendance of those who attended.
“If it is true that appellants did not know of the proposed ordinance, then it could be because they were not mindful of notices and copies of the proposed ordinance posted in the different posting areas of the municipality including the La Trinidad Trading Post, where they were mostly doing business,” said in the letter forwarded by Municipal Legal Officer Attorney Jennifer Fianza.
“There is no truth to the claims of the appellants they were kept in the dark as to the subject ordinance. If they are truly unaware of the passage of the 2017 Revenue Code, it was due to their own failure as appellees were not remiss in undergoing through the process of the enacting and approving of the ordinance.”
Moreover, the municipality stated the appellants exaggerate with their allegation of a 3,000 percent increase in the daily rate of cubicles at the ‘bagsakan area’ bay of the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post.
The letter also reiterated the pronouncement of Mayor Romeo Salda the ordinance has already been reviewed by the Provincial Board of Benguet.
DOJ received the petition of the traders January 31 and were given with 60 days to resolve the appeal and declare the appeal null and void or valid.