Fed up with having his town “neglected”, Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez on Friday ordered a stop to remitting taxes or other amounts to the Province of Cebu.
He ordered the Medellin municipal treasurer Ruth Gillamac to “hold in abeyance any remittances due to the Province of Cebu until such time that they take cognizance of their obligation to repair and rehabilitate the provincial roads and bridges” in Medellin.
“All I am asking is for the Capitol to do its responsibility,” said Ramirez, a critic of the Davide administration. A copy of his memorandum was posted on his Facebook account on the same day.
“We are penalized whenever we are late in paying our real property taxes and it’s about time the province is also sanctioned for turning a blind eye on the sorry state of their roads and bridges,” Ramirez said.
Provincial Information Officer Ethel Natera said she would trace the mayor’s letter first before issuing a comment.
The Dugusungan Bridge, the longest bridge in town linking barangays Poblacion and Caputatan Sur, sustained damage after several typhoons battered the province. Ramirez said he sent text messages to Capitol consultant Brady Lucero and Asst. Provincial Administrator Ramil Abing seeking assistance.
The Medellin municipal council also passed a resolution this year asking the province to repair the roads and bridges.
Municipalities are required to remit 20 percent of its real property tax collection to the province.
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