Bambi frowns over capitol exec’s suspension

MISAMIS Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano has frowned over the Office of the Ombudsman’s ruling to suspend acting provincial accountant Marilou Rivera for one year, saying he has instructed lawyers to help her appeal the decision.

Rivera, who holds the position local treasury operations officer, was found guilty of oppression and neglect of duty in connection with the anomalous issuance of warrants of garnishment against Pilipinas Kao Inc. in 2014. That year, Rivera was acting provincial treasurer.

Emano said he directed the provincial legal office and the provincial administrator to immediately look into Rivera’s case and do what they can to convince Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to reverse her decision.

“The case was started by the local government unit of Jasaan nga madugangan ang ilang buhis gikan sa Pilipinas Kao. Dako nga kompaniya, adunahan og sapian diha sa lungsod sa Jasaan,” he said.

He said the capitol extended legal aid to the Jasaan town government.

Emano said local officials then found legal grounds to make Pilipinas Kao pay taxes to the local government.

He said he was surprised to learn that Rivera has been charged with negligence of duty after she started demanding payments.

He said Rivera was also charged with abuse of authority for her tax-collection demands that were allowed by the Local Finance Committee and the local chief executive.

Emano said he should have been charged, too.

“Ngano nga nagpili lamang sila. This is pure harassment. Kini nga kaso ilang gi-file aron dili nila mabayran ang ilang account nga mi-abot og P700 million. Out of the P700 million, only P110 million would go to the provincial capitol,” he said.

The capitol tried to collect from Pilipinas Kao real property taxes for the years 2002 to 2013 amounting to P631.5 million.

But in a Sept. 26, 2013 letter by Philippine Economic Zone Authority manager Procolo Olaivar, it was explained that the Japanese firm is exempted from paying local taxes, including real property taxes pursuant to the Special Economic Zone Act or RA 7916.

Despite the Pezaletter, Rivera issued a warrant of levy against PKI in October 2013 in the total amount of P244.7million.

She also issued warrants of garnishment in January 2014 against the firm’s bank accounts to cover the assessed amount of P631.5 million.

Ombudsman Morales ruling said Rivera’s “issuance of the warrant of garnishment against PKI’s bank accounts appear to be improper.”

In August 2015, Peza Director General Lilia de Lima said that Pilipinas Kao was only liable for P164.1 million under RA 7916 and the money was already remitted to capitol.