[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Roxas employees probed for ‘taking’ bribe money ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENN VIDAL BEUP
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ROXAS City – Five personnel of the City Assessor’s Office and the City Treasurer’s Office are being investigated for allegedly accepting bribe money from East Clermont Corp. owned by Romulo Capunong.
City Assessor Samuel Narciso was accused of receiving P1 million from Malou Ignacio, a representative of East Clermont Corp.
Ignacio allegedly asked to change the year of Tax Declaration No. 5686 and Tax Declaration No. 5687 to “2017” from “2014,” thus reducing the tax to P1,029,323.
Moreover, Joel Atienza and Vivian Medina of the City Assessor’s Office allegedly forged three tax declarations to reduce the market and zonal values of East Clermont Corp. properties.
Narciso was accused of receiving P270,000, and P100,000 for each of Atienza and Medina.
In addition, Nilo Araque and Connie Bartolo of the City Treasurer’s Office allegedly accepted P50,000 each for this transaction.
Mayor Angel Alan Celino ordered Economic Enterprise Consultant Carmen Andrade to investigate.
All the five officials denied the allegation.
Capunong also denied bribing Narciso and said he was committed to paying his taxes.
According to Andrade, East Clermont Corp.’s tax bill from 2013 to 2017 amounted to P2,296,521 but the company paid only P109,417.
“The city will lose an estimated income of P1,029,323,” Andrade said.
The valuation of East Clermont Corp.’s properties was too low based on their market and zonal values, she added./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
