SP asserts Sison’s jurisdiction over sitio
PANGASINAN-BEENGUET BOUNDARY DISPUTE
LINGAYEN–The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) stepped into the boundary row between the town of Sison and town of Tuba, Benguet, affirming the rightful jurisdiction of Sison over Sitio Saguitlang in Barangay Labayog.
The SP adopted a resolution during its regular session on Oct. 23 endorsing and reaffirming the territorial jurisdiction of Sison over the sitio that the Tuba municipal government is attempting to claim as its own via an administrative act by the national government.
Fifth District Board Member Rosary Gracia Perez-Tababa said the Sangguniang Bayan of Tubat passed a resolution requesting proper government agencies “to deliver its share in the utilization of natural resources in its area by the Northern Cement Corporation (NCC)”.
Sison Mayor Danilo Uy had appealed to the SP for support against the claim of Tuba, Benguet.
Presently, NCC is paying all its taxes and fees in connection with its mining activities to the municipality of Sison.
Joined by Board Member Clemente Arboleda Jr., Tababa’s resolution emphasizing that Sitio Saguitlang is a territorial and administrative portion of Barangay Labayug, a distinct and lawfully mandated barangay of Sison.
Tababa said NCC has been paying extraction fees, real property taxes and mining taxes to Sison town since it started its operations 50 years ago.
She cited the Local Government Code provision that no barangay will be created nor abolished or its boundaries altered, except in accordance with the criteria set by the code, with the approval of the majority vote of the affected in a plebiscite.
No plebiscite has been conducted in the area ever since.
Tababa said NCC has since recognized Sitio Saguitlang as within the territorial jurisdiction of the municipality of Sison.
A check by Tababa with the office of the Provincial Treasurer showed that the province too has its concurrent share from real property taxes in the amount of P14 million yearly as of May 2017 while Provincial Treasurer Marilou Otanes cited a letter from the national treasury that the province of Pangasinan will soon receive mining taxes in the amount of P1,453,500 and extraction pay in the amount of more than P300,000 from NCC’s operation.
She said the province will also be affected if Tuba is allowed to claim Sitio Saguitlang as its own. (Leonardo Micua)
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