Bureau of Local Government Finance Opinion

April 24, 2001 BUREAU OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE OPINION The Honorable Mayor Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental M a d a m : This refers to your letter dated March 16, 2001 relative to our 2nd Indorsement dated January 12, 2001, copy enclosed, concerning the request of the Municipal Mayor of Jimenez, that province, that collection of real property taxes on the properties of the Jimenez Oil Mills Inc. (JOMI), affected by the Jimenez-Sinacaban boundary dispute issue, be reverted back to their municipality (Jimenez). It may be recalled in this regard, that under the abovementioned 2nd Indorsement, this Bureau opined that the assessment records of the subject properties of JOMI be restored in the Municipality of Jimenez, and a status quo be maintained. It is worthwhile to note that the abovecited opinion of this Bureau was based on the attached copies of the Orders dated April 28, 2000 and June 15, 2000, both of the RTC-Branch 14, Oroquieta City, which were affirmed by the Supreme Court. Moreover, it is worth mentioning hereon that this Bureau has likewise taken cognizance of the supporting documents mentioned in your abovementioned letter, viz : 1. Supreme Court Decision En Banc; 2. Entry of Judgment; 3. Adjustment of Land Area from Land Management Bureau, Manila; 4. Notice of Cancellation of the Attached Barangays namely part of Tabo-o where the JOMI Inc. was located; 5. Commissioner's Order from RTC Branch 14, Oroquieta City; and 6. Commissioner's Report In view hereof, and considering that the Jimenez-Sinacaban boundary dispute issue is still pending before the Court of Appeals, this Bureau, much to its regret, has to maintain its stand as embodied under the abovementioned 2nd Indorsement dated January 12, 2001. TcCEDS Very truly yours, (SGD.) BENJAMIN A. GERONIMO Executive Director