Cebu City given 5 days to settle abattoir taxes

THE Mandaue City government has threatened to shut down  the Cebu City-owned slaughterhouse in the North Reclamation Area if the Cebu City government fails to settle its P2-million real property tax obligations  within five days.

In a final demand letter dated Feb. 13 and signed by City Treasurer Regal Oliva, it stated that the  Mandaue City government has given its Cebu City counterpart sufficient time to pay up.

“You are hereby urged to settle your account within five working days from receipt hereof, otherwise we will recommend closure of your business and/or refer this matter to the City Legal Officer for appropriate legal action,” Oliva said in the letter addressed to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and City Administrator Lucelle Mercado.

Another demand letter was sent on February 2.

Mercado confirmed that they already submitted the documents required by the Mandaue City government yesterday afternoon.

“Our letter request was for the reassessment of the building of the abattoir,” Mercado said.

Among the documents submitted are a copy of the Cebu City’s Charter, the organizational chart of the slaughterhouse and its financial records showing that the facility has not been earning since it started operating.

The Cebu City Government has been asking for a tax exemption on the abattoir saying its operation is not for profit but for providing a basic service.

Since late last year, the Mandaue City Government has been going after Cebu City for real property and business taxes owed by the facility which is located in barangay Subangdaku.

The amount includes around P2 million in unpaid real property tax from 2001 until 2014.