2 community papers face charges for publishing fake ads

The Parañaque City government is set to file charges against two community papers that reportedly published fake advertisements of the city government’s tax amnesty program launched more than a year ago.

Mayor Florencio Bernabe said the City Treasurer Office is now preparing the case against two papers being circulated in the city.

The one-page advertisement, which announced a "50-percent condonation of interests, surcharges and penalties for delinquent taxpayers" was allegedly fraudulent, unauthorized and malicious.

"You will observe that the notice bears the date ‘December 1-15, 2004.’ We indeed implemented this tax amnesty program before but right now, we have not issued any advertisement similar to that," Bernabe explained.

He said the notices, which were published in Katapat and Latigo, could have been the handiwork of his political rivals.

"Since these papers are mass distributed, it could easily create confusion among residents," Bernabe added.

On July 31, 2006, the city government announced that it auction real properties of delinquent taxpayers in the city before the year ends.

Bernabe said they will publish a notice before they push through with the auction.

Specifically targeted for auction are physical assets of the hundreds of delinquent property taxpayers who have already been served their third and final collection notices but have not made any move or effort to pay the taxes they owe the city government.

"It’s quite unfair to residents and property owners in the city who pay their taxes promptly and properly if delinquent taxpayers continue to share in the benefits of the city government’s socio-economic programs and infrastructure projects," Bernabe stressed. — Rhodina Villanueva