Anti-VAT rallyists were paid, says Galanto
BACOLOD CITY -- Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Regional Director Rodita Galanto branded the rally conducted by Negros Alliance Against Poverty Advance VAT (NAPAVAT) Wednesday morning as a "paid rally".
Director Galanto alleged that she received information that those who participated in the rally were given P100 each and 2 kilos of rice.
Close to 500 members, some from tricycle cooperatives, of the newly-created organization joined the call to scrap VAT on cooperatives, not only sugar.
But the protesters denied reports that they were paid saying that it was their decision to join the rally.
One member, who do not want to be identified, interviewed by The News Today revealed that he was given money but it's for his gasoline expense since he brought with him his tricycle.
Galanto said that she respects the call of the alliance for they have the right to express their sentiments to the policies of the government.
"The issues raised were all recycled and they are just testing my patience," Galanto added.
A squad of PNP officers was scheduled to be deployed to maintain peace and order around the vicinity of BIR in PNB Building in Lacson Street as Director Galanto expects at least 4,500 rallyists but it turned down to only more or less 500, reason why only ten policemen were deployed.
NAPAVAT is a broad alliance of farm workers, organized into cooperatives. They are composed of farm workers, church-based groups and organizations, professionals, individuals and various sectors now demand that unjust taxation, VAT and advance VAT be ended.
"The cooperatives are not supposed to be taxable as this reflects the government commitment to effect economic and social development among the poor and marginalized sectors of the society which sadly, it's not the case now," their press statement said.
The Arroyo administration has been collecting taxes in form of VAT and advance VAT on sugar contending that these are needed for basic services.
All of us know that out of more than P1 trillion which is now our national budget, hardly anything goes to basic services because these are allocated for the payment of foreign loans which is new more than $50 billlion which in the trillions of pesos which could have gone to delivery of basic services.
The group also demands for the immediate ouster of Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and BIR-RR12 Director Rodita Galanto.
Director Galanto called up BIR Commissioner Sixto Esquivias IV to inquire if she will be reassigned at the height of protests against her in the province but Esquivias said she should stay put.