DAGUPAN scored a major legal victory when the Central Board of Assessment Appeals (CBAA) of the Department of Finance (DOF) denied for lack of merit the appeal made by GMA Network Inc. on the Nov. 25, 2008 decision of the Local Board of Assessment Appeals (LBAA).

The case stems from the payment of real estate tax involving GMA7’s property in Malued, Dagupan where it built a television station, covered under Tax Declaration Nos. 4183803 and 22-0067-M and subject of a Notice of Assessment from the City Auditor’s Office in 2006.

City Legal Officer George Mejia, former officer-in-charge city assessor during the administration of Mayor Alipio Fernandez who represented the city in the litigation, considers the decision of the CBAA as a big moral victory for Dagupan.

The LBAA dismissed GMA7’s appeal for being filed outside the reglamentary period, citing Section 30 of the Real Property Tax Code, and “for insufficiency of evidence”.

 

Mejia, who was also a co-respondent in the appeal made by GMA7, said instead of paying the assessment to the City Treasurer’s Office, GMA7 appealed the assessment before the LBAA on June 20,2008, more than two years after the assessment.

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