Philex, Tuba, Itogon talk on unpaid taxes, closure order
>> Thursday, March 6, 2014
TUBA, Benguet -- Philex Mining Corporation,
the municipalities of Tuba and Itogon met last week tackle the issues
surrounding the mining company’s unpaid business tax and issuance of a closure
order by both town governments against the mining company for nonpayment.
The company’s business
tax accountability has ballooned to P1,361,451,514.11 representing business
taxes that were unpaid since 2002, which based on the most recent
consolidated business tax assessment of both municipalities is already P2.2
billion.
Years back, officials
of both LGUs have come up with a consensus to resolve the business tax share
issue by settling at receiving 50-50 share, which initially, the company
started to give to both LGUs until it stopped in 2002.
Lawyer Eduardo Aratas,
Philex-Padcal manager for Administration and concurrent spokesperson, said that
the representatives of the company visited Itogon and Tuba officials and
scheduled dialogue with the officials of the two local governments.
He said Philex has not
paid business taxes for a few years to the two local governments due to
boundary dispute of the two LGUs.
The entire area being
occupied by Philex mines is bounded by the two municipalities, particularly Camp
3 in Tuba, Benguet and Tinongdan in Itogon.
However, Aratas said
that the subsidence area, where the mining operation is, is located in Tuba.
Mayor
VictorioPalangdan of Itogon and Mayor Florencio Bentres of Tuba, with the
conformity of their respective councils, issued a joint closure order addressed
to Philex last February.
0 comments:
Post a Comment