Farmers eye misspending in P1.2 million excise tax
TOBACCO farmers traced some P300 million of the P1.2 billion share of the fifth district of Pangasinan from the tobacco excise tax for year 1997 to 2007 to Alcala town.
The farmers belonging to the Northern Central Luzon Tobacco Farmers Association (NLCTFA) said at least P232 million of this (P300) was obviously spent in building a corn and rice drying complex in Alcala.
Another P45 million was used in buying a three-hectare land where the complex now stands.
However, they believe that the land bought as site of the complex was overpriced because the prevailing price of irrigated land in Alcala is P1 million per hectare or P3 million.
However, the group found no trace of the remainder of the P300 million-excise tax.
Ruben Lagmay, NCLTFA president, said that based on the documents he received at least P1.2 billion was received by the district in 2010 and 2012 during the incumbency of former Fifth District Congressman Mark Cojuangco and his wife Kimi who took over from him in 2010.
He said he decided to direct their query to to Governor Amado Espino Jr. who in turn referred their letter to the Sangguniang Panlungsod after failing to get a response from the Cojuangco couple.
Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim referred the letter of NCLTFA to the committees on laws and ordinances, good government and public accountabilities, agriculture and cooperatives and may look into the matter. (Leonardo Micua)
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