Parañaque treasurer faces raps over P9-M tax amnesty

MANILA, Philippines - The treasurer of Parañaque City was charged with graft for the allegedly unlawful grant of almost P9 million in tax amnesty to a real estate firm in 2013.

In a case information sheet dated Dec. 12 filed by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan, city treasurer Anthony Pulmano was charged with violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The ombudsman said Pulmano “acted with evident bad faith, manifest partiality and gross inexcusable negligence” when he allowed private corporation Chevy Chase Condominium Owners Association Inc. to avail of the city government’s tax amnesty program “despite knowing fully well” that the company failed to submit the requirements for the program.

The ombudsman said Chevy also paid its real property tax (RPT) deficiency beyond the period provided under City Ordinance No. 13-08 Series of 2013 and should have been automatically disqualified to avail of the tax amnesty program.

Based on the information of the case, Chevy originally had P12.892-million RPT liability but because of Pulmano’s act of allowing the company to avail of the tax amnesty program, its tax liability was reduced to P4.048 million or a difference of P8.844 million, “thereby causing undue injury to the government.”

The ombudsman set Pulmano’s bail at P30,000.