The Office of the Mayor in Bacolod City has received complaints from a few business establishments on alleged irregularities in the collection of fees and taxes.

Two regular employees of the City Treasurer’s Office are accused of collecting taxes in the evening.

Based on the said complaints, the two employees collect in the nighttime and issue temporary receipts.

According to a complainant who operates a business establishment, but name withheld, the collection of fees and taxes was done in the evening.

“Bale ayon ito sa reports, may nangongolekta ng fees and taxes. Under investigation pa naman yan. Kung whatever fees na babayaran mo, doon ka dapat magbayad sa City Hall,” Atty. Joseph Carol Chiu, head of the Bacolod City Legal Office, pointed out.

Chiu added that aside from paying at the City Hall, there is a joint inspection team authorized in the collection of taxes.

Aside from the City Treasurer’s Office, personnel from the City Legal Office and the Business Permits and Licensing Offices of the Local Government Unit (LGU) comprise the inspection team.

It was learned that the regular employees are being investigated, as of this writing.

“This is a clear direction nga sini-set natin. Ito ay did not happen ngayon lang eh. There are those businesses, sabi ko huwag matakot mag-report. Okay lang na ma-intercept namin,” Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya said.

GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas went to the office of the two employees, but they were not around.

The LGU has called on the public who might have more information on the alleged irregularities, and the government employees involved, to report their concerns at the Office of the Mayor.