Sunday, May 3, 2009

Ifugao town gov’t set to close Aboitiz plant: Norway power firm's TRO petition denied

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The Ifugao Regional Trial Court has denied a Norwegian-led power consortium’s petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to prevent the municipal government of Alfonso Lista from closing its power plant for supposed unpaid taxes of over P400 million.

In denying the TRO petition of SN Aboitiz Power, the court said the consortium was unable to show sufficient reason why it should not pay the taxes being charged by the municipal government of Alfonso Lista, where its Magat power generation facility is partly located.

Lawyer Lito Salatan, the town’s legal counsel, said the court found more weight in the town’s arguments that SN Aboitiz Power should pay real property and business taxes for conducting business there.

The consortium, he said, failed to present proof of its being a registered entity with the Board of Investments, which should have given it a six-year tax holiday.

Mike Hostillos, community affairs officer of SN Aboitiz Power, said the company has already filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals.

“Meanwhile, our original case filed against Alfonso Lista with the RTC for mandatory injunction is also moving,” he said, saying they could not pay the contested fees “under protest.”

The company’s petition for mandatory injunction was intended to prevent Alfonso Lista and the Ifugao provincial government from shutting down the Magat Dam operations on the Ifugao-Isabela boundary since this would adversely affect the power supply. -- CL


Cake downs 12 Vizcaya villagers

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya– At least 12 villagers, including eight minors aged one to 16, were rushed to a hospital here yesterday reportedly due to food poisoning after partaking of slices of cake they had taken home from a christening the day before.

The victims suffered vomiting, abdominal pain and loose bowel movement after eating the cake. – CL

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