Mayor prods mining company to pay taxes
By Andrio Atienza
NARRA, Palawan — Mayor Gerandy Danao has pressed a nickel mining company to pay its unpaid obligations over the years amounting to P94 million to the municipality.
Nickel paradise The province of Palawan is a haven for nickel mining.
Danao said a formal notice was already sent to Citinickel Mines and Development Corporation to settle its unpaid taxes of P94,476,160.51 before the company renews its mayor’s permit in January 2020.
Municipal treasurer Gerardo de la Rosa said that the company has yet to settle taxes as Citinickel president Ferdinand Pallera, through a letter, questioned the legality of the Municipal Tax Code of Narra which was enacted in 17 December 2008 entitled Business Taxes on Mining Operations.
In his letter, Pallera said that the company was exempted from payment of the business taxes since it was registered with the Board of Investments as New Producer of Beneficiated Nickel Ore.
Citinickel claimed to have paid their business taxes for the previous years of its operations as records showed that the mining firm was issued a mayor’s permit from 2010 to 2016.
“I don’t know how Citinickel was allowed to operate and was given a mayor’s permit when there were unpaid local taxes to Narra,” Danao said.
Source: Daily Tribune