Aklan SP member urged to inhibit from admin case

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

  

They are mutual friends in the Facebook, but a town councilor might have lost faith and confidence that he would not get fair treatment from a member of Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan. 

 

Kalibo Sangguniang Bayan member Augusto Tolentino wants the investigating chairman to inhibit himself from hearing the administrative case between him and a radio field reporter.

“To obtain fair treatment and justice, Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Plaridel Morania should voluntarily inhibit from further handling the case,” Tolentino said in his RMN DyKR Straight to the Point program on Friday.   

The councilor, also a veteran broadcaster, is facing an administrative complaint before the Aklan SP for alleged gross misconduct filed by radio reporter Ma-ann Berdonar Lachica last October in connection with the actuations of Tolentino.   

Another reason for inhibition is the worrying concerns on Morania’s alleged bias on the controversial tax ordinance imposing a new realty taxes following the decision of the Department of Justice (DOJ). 

DOJ, earlier, declared the tax ordinance ‘null and void’ for it did not follow the procedural requirements under the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 and the Administrative Order No. 270.

It also denied the instant motion of reconsideration of the provincial government for lack merit last March. 

Tolentino also questioned the independence of Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan investigating committee in deciding his case since he is supporting the crusade against the implementation of Tax Ordinance No. 001 series of 2014 approved by Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan which sought to provide an updated valuation of market values for real properties in Aklan. 

Church leaders and a group under “Hubeag it mga Akeanon Kontra sa Mataas nga Buwis” also opposed the tax ordinance supposed to take effect on January 1, 2015.

Tolentino also lamented the composition of the Aklan SP investigating committee since there were no members named from the ‘minority bloc’.

Aside from Morania, the other members of the investigating committee are Esel Flores, Apolinar Cleope, Jose Enrique Miraflores and Ramon Gelito, all them also supported the tax ordinance.