BACOLOD City — A Bacolod City Hall employee assigned to the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) has been placed under a 60-day preventive suspension after a formal charge was filed against him on September 30, 2026, over allegations that he collected amusement taxes from private establishments without issuing official receipts.
Mayor Greg Gasataya issued the formal charge against the employee assigned to the Revenue Inspection and Miscellaneous Services Section under the License Division of the CTO.
The employee is facing administrative charges of serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, gross neglect in the performance of duty, in the alternative, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Gasataya said a preliminary investigation established a prima facie case against the employee, whose duties included the inspection, assessment and/or collection of amusement taxes.
The case stemmed from sworn affidavits submitted by owners of private establishments who alleged that the employee personally collected money purportedly representing amusement-tax payments while identifying himself as an authorized representative of the CTO.
In one affidavit, an establishment owner alleged that the employee collected P2,500 on December 27, 2025, and another P2,500 on January 17, 2026. Although assessment slips were reportedly issued, the complainant said no official receipts were provided for the payments.
The complainants further alleged that the employee told them the collections were required by the city mayor and that the payments were personally received by him.
In another affidavit, an establishment owner alleged that the employee visited the business on two successive Fridays before Christmas in December 2025 to collect amusement taxes.
During the first visit, he allegedly presented an executive order signed by Gasataya as his authority to collect and received P1,500 without issuing an assessment form, assessment slip, order of payment or official receipt.
During a second visit, he allegedly collected another P2,000. When asked for an official receipt, he reportedly replied, “To follow ang receipt.”
The complainant said no receipt or assessment document was subsequently issued.
Based on the sworn statements cited in the administrative proceedings, the employee allegedly received a combined P8,500 from the two establishments without issuing corresponding official receipts.
The affidavits also alleged that, in one instance, no written assessment or computation was provided to establish the basis for the amount collected.
Before the formal charge was issued, Gasataya served the employee a show-cause order on July 20, 2026, directing him to submit a written and sworn explanation within five calendar days from receipt of the order and explain why no administrative case should be filed against him.
The show-cause proceedings also questioned the employee’s authority to personally assess and collect amusement taxes from private establishments.
The formal charge and subsequent 60-day preventive suspension followed the preliminary investigation.
The preventive suspension is an administrative measure intended to prevent possible interference with the proceedings and does not, by itself, constitute a finding of guilt./PN
