FORMER Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella was given 15 days to answer the administrative complaint for grave abuse of authority and gross neglect of duty filed against him before the Office of the President.
The complaint was lodged by Samuel Montoyo on December 16, 2015 related to the alleged collection of real property tax (RPT) pursuant to an ordinance declared null and void in resolution dated February 1\8, 2015 of the Department of Justice.
The order dated March 9, 2017 was signed by Ryan Alvin Acosta, Acting Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs.
Montoyo, an officer of Save Bacolod Movement, said that in November 2014, Puentevella signed into law City Ordinance No. 08-14-700 that increases the land tax in Bacolod ranging from the rate of no less than 300 percent up to 1, 600 percent.
He said the ordinance was authored by Puentevella's son, Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella, former head of committee on finance and appropriation.
The subject ordinance was then enforced while it becomes oppressive, confiscatory, and unjust against the people of Bacolod in their current payment of their real property tax, he added.
“On February 18, 2015, the DOJ declared it null and void, but Puentevella ignored the DOJ's decision and continued to enforce and collect the RPT under the said nullified ordinance," Montoyo said.
He said that he is thankful to the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte for answering his complaint.
Montoyo received the order through the mail to his home address on March 17. The order was also furnished to Puentevella.
Puentevella, however, could not be reached for comment as of press time.
