THE Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) said that it would file graft charges against officials of the Pasig City government for their alleged illegal collection of real property taxes on the controversial Payanig sa Pasig property.

PCGG Chairman Andres Bautista said that the local government of Pasig was not supposed to collect real property tax from Blemp Commercial of the Philippines, which is said to be owned by Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson of Ilocos Sur province.

Bautista said that Pasig officials, including Mayor Robert Eusebio, violated Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Besides Eusebio, the Pasig assessor, treasurer and licensing officer may be held liable for collecting and receiving the tax payment, Bautista said.

The PCGG chief also disclosed that besides the illegal collection of real property taxes, the Pasig City also refused to heed their request to stop issuing business and mayor permits to some 117 business establishments at the Payanig who were the subject of ejectment proceedings for refusal to pay monthly rental dues.

Bautista said that officers of Independent Realty Corp., the PCGG’s holding firm which manages Payanig, with officials of PCGG had earlier talked to Pasig officials urging them not to issue business and mayor’s permit to the said establishments.

The refusal to pay rental dues has deprived the government of some P1 billion in terms of revenue in lease contract from the said property, Bautista stressed.

The PCGG official said that the legal officers of the Realty are now preparing the documents, papers and evidence for the filing of charges before the Ombudsman office.

The 18.4-hectare property, or the Payanig sa Pasig property, under the name of Mid-Pasig Land Development Corp. was among the assets and properties surrendered to the government by businessman Jose Campos.

Campos is a known crony of former strongman Ferdinand Marcos. The property was alleged to be part of ill-gotten wealth of the late dictator.