SP body finds Maasin Ordinance ultra vires
A municipal Ordinance seeking to grant tax amnesty to real property owners in Maasin, Iloilo was deemed invalid by the Committee on Ways and Means of the 9thIloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP).
Contained in Committee Report No. 34, Series of 2008, Third District Board Member Arthur Defensor Jr. presented said committee findings in yesterday's special session.
Defensor in the report said that corresponding review was sought from the Provincial Legal Office.
The PLO came back with its opinion "that same is beyond the power conferred upon the Sangguniang Bayan."
"Moreover, it may be recalled that during its 37thRegular Session on 09 September 2008, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has enacted an ordinance granting tax relief to delinquent real property taxpayers applicable in the whole Province of Iloilo through Provincial Ordinance No. 2008-077, "Ordinance granting tax relief to delinquent real property taxpayers of the Province of Iloilo with respect to the penalty, surcharges and interest effective until 31 December 2008," the committee report went. "In view of the foregoing, it is most respectfully recommended by this Committee that the Municipal Ordinance No. 2008-004 of Maasin, Iloilo be declared invalid in whole considering that the enactment of the same is ultra vires or beyond the power conferred upon the Sangguniang Bayan."