Bulakeños are now praying that the Office of the Ombudsman will rule favorably on their side, as graft raps were already filed by newspaper man Orlan Mauricio against Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando and Vice Governor Alex Castro for implementing an illegal tax ordinance that increased real property taxes in the 20 towns of the province.

Over coffee, Lito Manuel of Biñang 1, in Bocaue, Joey Munsayac, of San Miguel, Bulacan and Lorna Largoza Lim of Marilao, Bulacan, told the DAILY TRIBUNE that Mauricio’s complaint is just right, as they are now "bearing the hard times" of paying their “increased” and “unjust" real property taxes.

The Bulacan residents said, they knew that under Republic Act 12001, the government has offered a Tax Amnesty that is “in effect and signed on 13 June 2024.

“It runs for two years from up to 5 July 2026. Lahat ng penalties, levies and surcharges sa Real Prop. Taxes (RPT) from the 2nd Quarter of 2024 and later years are condoned. Meaning write off na at di na kelangan bayaran until 2026 lang,” they said.

Rowell Alberto and Julio Sarmiento of San Ildefonso, Joel dela Cruz of Paombong, Bulacan and Jun Vicente of Calumpit, on the other hand, said the Provincial Government of Bulacan (PGB) has passed an ordinance increasing their RPTs “without consulting” (Bulakeños) and “no public hearing (or consultations).”

Mauricio, in his complaint, said Fernando has ordered collecting the increased in RPT as outlined in Sanggunian Panlalawigan’s Kapasiyahan Blg. 538A-T 2023, which he claimed as illegal and unenforceable (null and void) due to its failure to comply with the publication requirements mandated under Section 188 of the Local Government Code (RA 7160).