THE provincial government of Quezon will confiscate and auction off the 735-megawatt Pagbilao coal power plant after talks with Energy Secretary Jose Almendras and Finance Secretary Ceasar Purisima failed to resolve the province’s claim to P6 billion in its operator’s tax obligations, House Deputy Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said over the weekend.
Suarez, father of Quezon Gov. David Suarez, has blocked the confirmation of both Almendras and Purisima over the tax dispute.
“Nothing concrete happened at the meeting last Tuesday,” the older Suarez said.
“Almendras and Purisima did not even show up. They only sent representatives, who only offered options that are far from getting the P6 billion paid. The bottom line is, they continue to defy the Supreme Court ruling for them to pay the P6-billion debt.”
Suarez said the provincial government had the right to confiscate the $3-billion power plant and to sell it to recover the taxes owed.
“I have submitted to the [Commission on Appointments] a written complaint that Almendras and Purisima did not deserve to be confirmed because they are doing their job to the detriment of the government,” Suarez said.
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