Records show facts, seedling bank tax liability

PERMIT ME to comment on the statements made by Inquirer columnist Neal Cruz (“Bistek tried to mislead P-Noy in land-grab row,” Opinion, 6/12/15) by quoting specific documents relevant to this issue:

• On the issue of Manila Seedling Bank Foundation Inc.’s (MSBFI) corporate existence: “This is to certify that the records of the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation with SEC NO. 0000075473 on file with this commission show that: subject corporation’s Certificate of Registration was revoked on February 21, 2002, for non-compliance of the following reportorial requirements: Financial Statements from 1996 to 2003.” (From a Securities and Exchange Commission certification issued on Jan. 21, 2013) “[T]he petitioner (Manila Seedling Bank) confirmed that indeed their certificate of registration has been revoked by the SEC. As it stands now, the petitioner ceases to be a corporate body…. Even assuming that the order of revocation is not final, what prevails is the fact that the certificate of registration remains revoked, and until the order of revocation is reconsidered, the petitioner cannot be considered a corporation… if a corporation is dissolved, it ceases as a body corporate to continue the business for which it was established.” (From a Dec. 22, 2014, order of Regional Trial Court NCR Judicial Branch 216 relative to Special Civil Case No. Q-12-71638)

• On the Quezon City government’s claim regarding the tax liability of MSBFI: The Supreme Court, in its Resolution on GR No. 191335, ruled with finality on the taxability of the MSBFI and the right of the Quezon City government to collect real property taxes from this property. The resolution, dated Aug. 23, 2010, became final and executory on Feb. 21, 2011. The action of the Quezon City government to collect real property taxes from MSBFI was based on actual use of the property, since it had been proven that MSBFI had been using the property for commercial purposes. Nonpayment of taxes led to an auction of the property and, later, an action of forfeiture, when the right of redemption lapsed on July 7, 2012.

The documents cited may be accessed by the public and read in their entirety. The facts speak for themselves.

—REGINA A. SAMSON,
assistant secretary to the mayor,
and head, Communications
Coordination Center,
Quezon City Government,
regina.samson@quezoncity.gov.ph