Barangay collection of business fee questioned
NO LEGAL BASIS
THE collection of barangay business clearance fees in Mangaldan’s Barangay Poblacion, was questioned in an administrative case for grave misconduct filed by former Mayor Bona Fe Parayno against Melinda Morillo, the punong barangay of Poblacion, Mangaldan before the town’s Sangguniang Bayan presided by Vice Mayor Jojo Surdilla.
However, the expected face-up between the complainant and the respondent before the SB last January 14 did not take place as Morillo failed to attend the hearing. Only Parayno and her lawyer Teodora Cerdan appeared, prompting the SB to reset the hearing to January 29 and directed Morillo to submit her rejoinder to the complainant’s reply to her counter-affidavit in writing.
In her reply to the counter-affidavit with comments on the respondent’s motion for reconsideration dated January 4, 2021, Parayno, who owns several businesses located in Poblacion, explained that she initiated the complaint to correct the unlawful collection of fees in the area without any legal basis.
She said the Mangaldan Sangguniang Bayan passed SB Resolution No. 2015-20 that recalled Resolution No. 2015-07 and declared Barangay Resolution No. 42, S of 2014 null and void on February 13, 2015.
“It is clear therefore that from February 13, 2015 up to September 25, 2020, when the alleged ordinance No. 13, series of 2020 was implemented, there was no law for the collection of fees for Barangay Business Clearance in Barangay Poblacion, Mangaldan, Pangasinan,” Parayno said.
Former Mayor Parayno said the collection of barangay business clearance fees is continuing despite the absence of any law to the detriment and prejudice of the business in Poblacion.
In her counter-affidavit submitted to the SP earlier, Morillo claimed that the administrative complaint is a retaliation against her for the alleged cases she filed against the complainant, a claim that was rebutted by Parayno.
Morillo said that while it is true that Barangay Ordinance No. 11, series of 2019 was recalled by the Sangguniang Bayan in its resolution No. 2020-12, the barangay council appealed the rejection by filing a motion for reconsideration and submitted a reduced fees.
However, the Sangguniang Bayan likewise denied the motion for reconsideration. (Leonardo Micua)
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