Gandarosa accuses Palala of corruption, to file charges in various tribunals

November 11, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

EMBATTLED Bureau of Internal Revenue District 16 head Mustapha Gandarosa is fighting back and taking those whom he believes are orchestrating his ouster to the courts.

Gandarosa has now prepared graft charges against Revenue District Officer of Revenue District 98, Cagayan de Oro City head Estrella Palala to be filed at the City Prosecutors Office, Office of the Ombudsman-Mindanao and to the Internal Security Division of the BIR Commissioner among other tribunals.

This paper tried to contact Palala for her side but failed to do so within press time. A businessman who knows her, however, defended her as a public officer who is “with integrity and beyond reproach.”

He added that he is confused by Gandarosa’s move considering that he heard Palala defend the former for some occasions.

But Gandarosa said he is filing the charges not just because he believes that Palala is one of the persons he suspects to be rallying local businessmen to oust him as she is the one being pushed to take his place.

He said he has also received a three-page affidavit executed by Michealyn Burgos alleging that Palala has committed acts that violated Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corruption Act, The Revised Penal Code and Republic Act 6713.

“The illegal act of RDO Ester Palala in making demand and receiving money from the President of LYL Development constitutes violations of these laws,” he told Gold Star Daily.

In Burgos’ three-page affidavit, she said she is a personnel of LYL Development Corp. and that she approached Palala for the possible reduction of their transfer tax covering a 7,117 square meters of lot located in Baloy, Tablon this city.

Burgos said Palala evaluated their documents and told her that she need to pay P1.2 million for the capital gains and documentary stamp taxes and another P1.2 million as “SOP FOR THE BOYS and the RD.”

She said she relayed to her boss the Palala’s demands and later negotiated that this be reduced to P750,000 and to which Lua acceded.

On July 20, 2006, Burogs said Lua issued two checks and gave the same to her for payment of their tax and “SOP” demanded by Palala.

Burgos said she encashed the check on the same day and called on Palala about the money.

She said Palala then had her fetched by a red Civic sedan and instructed her to leave the money inside the car.

Burgos said she went inside the office of Palala and was told by the latter that she will sign and give her Certificate Authorizing Registration (CAR) the following day as it was already late in the afternoon that day.

But Burgos said she later learned that the Register of Deeds of Cagayan de Oro City put on hold the transfer of the title of the their property upon advise from the Regional Director of the BIR, Cagayan de Oro City.

Then on October 2006, Burgos said Lua received a Notice of Assessment from Palala and that when she confronted Palala asked for P15 million “SOP” to convince the BIR director to accept the amount in settlement of their tax assessment.

Burgos said Lua refused Palala’s alleged demand because he does not even know if she is telling the truth.

Later, Burgos said she was informed by her employer Lua that the BIR through the regional director has filed a case against him for Tax Evasion before the Department of Justice in Manila which case remained pending until now.

Gandarosa said he had met with Lua but only when the latter asked for a reconsideration on his tax assessment.

“The affiant has no knowledge of the circumstances of the foregoing testimony of Burgos and deny the allegations that he has knowledge or anything to do with the SOP of P750,000.00 delivered and received by Palala,” his affidavit reads.

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Written by admin · Filed Under Cagayan de Oro