The chairman of the Barangay Punta-Taytay Marginalized Fisherfolk Marketing Cooperative said their cooperative is not bogus and he is challenging Punta Taytay Barangay Captain Rufino Alcala to prove his claims.

Jessie Cris Andas was reacting to the statement of Alcala in a local paper (not the DAILY STAR) where he claimed that the city is giving P100,000 to a bogus cooperative.

Alcala also said reports are circulating that Andas will be the beneficiary of P1 million and another P600,000 for the construction of a salt bed production center.

Andas said theirs is not a bogus cooperative and they can prove they are legal because they have a certificate of registration from the Office of the President and registered with the City Development Authority.

“We have a tax exemption from the Bureau of Internal Revenue up to P10 million for our operation,” he said, adding that it is only the Court that has the right to declare if a cooperative is bogus or not.

Andas said they also have a certification of accreditation from the Sangguniang Panlungsod signed by Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and Councilor Caesar Distrito so their documents are legal.

“I hope Alcala will stop misleading the fishermen. He even collects from the cooperative 1 percent of its gross income which is a violation of their barangay ordinance which exempts cooperatives from paying taxes and other fees,” he said.

Andas said he is calling the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Region 6, especially the central office to audit the implementation of fisheries projects of Punta-Taytay in Bacolod to see if it is effective.

These include the mangrove reforestation, artificial reefs, assistance to fishermen, he said. Millions have been given by the city for the project of Punta Taytay but they do not know where the funds went, he said.

Andas said their cooperative is composed of 29 pump boat owners and there are about 40 to 70 fisherfolk registered with them.

He added that he is filing administrative charges against Alcala.*CGS

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