Biz groups file appeal
vs. city tax code at DOJ
BING SAYS DIALOGS CONTINUING
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bacolod Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry filed an appeal before the Department of Justice Friday questioning the constitutionality or legality of the Bacolod City Ordinance 565, or the Revised Revenue Code of Bacolod City.

The appeal was filed by Frank Carbon and Ben Ortega, representing the MBCCI and BFCCCI, respectively, against Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Sangguniang Panlungsod members and City Treasurer Annabelle Badajos.

Leonardia said “That is expected. In fact, we have already talked about it.” That is something they had to do to comply with thereglementary period of 30 days from the implementation of the ordinance, he said.

Two soldiers were killed, while another one was injured in a skirmish at about  9:50 a.m. yesterday with suspected New People’s Army rebels in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

This happened   two days after government troopers overran two rebel camps in the hinterlands of Sipalay City.

A platoon-sized unit of the 62nd Infantry Battalion soldiers were on security patrol in Brgy. Andres Bonifacio, Cadiz City, when they figured in an encounter with a group of rebels, which led to the killing of Private First Class Crispy Ryan Toledo and PFC Nazario Buenavidez, a military  report said.

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson yesterday joined the fray in the controversy surrounding the death of Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Neg. Occ., 5th District).

In an interview over ABS-CBN, Lacson said he wants to reopen the Senate's investigation into the Jose Pidal account, and claimed he has information that the Negros solon and his brother, former first gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, have P2 billion each in bank accounts.

Arroyo, who was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, died in London, Thursday last week.