Filipino man laments non-release of stimulus, tax rebate checks

A Filipino worker on Wednesday lamented the non-release of his stimulus and tax rebate based on his and his wife’s 2010 joint income tax return, saying the money will be used to pay for his mother’s medical bills.

Edwin G. Mendoza, who works as a security officer with G4S Security Services, during an interview showed a copy of the letter he personally delivered to the Department of Finance requesting for the immediate release of over $800 in stimulus and tax rebate.

“My daughter called and informed me that my mother is in the hospital and is in serious condition,” Mendoza wrote in his letter stamped received at Finance Secretary’s Office on Nov. 22.

In one of the numerous phone calls he made to the Finance to follow up his emergency request, Mendoza was told, “It’s disapproved” without any explanation.

“I don’t know why they would disapprove my request considering it’s an emergency,” Mendoza told Saipan Tribune. “That’s why I want to expose what Finance is doing. I want to know why they’re delaying the release of my check when it’s my money. Even the stimulus is federally funded.”

Mendoza, an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen, said he has been paying his taxes religiously and has pay stubs and income tax returns to prove it.

He emphasized what the administration said about the release of tax refund and rebate checks especially in emergency cases. “This is already an emergency because of my mother’s situation and they still won’t release it. How much more for the others out there?”

Bringing to light what happened to him, Mendoza said, is his way of helping his fellow Filipinos and other foreign workers who have yet to receive the money due them by the local government.

“I have nothing to lose in exposing this. If nobody would expose this, they’re just free to steal the people’s money and that’s the truth,” he said.

Mendoza, who is from Manila, said there are many Filipinos who are already headed back to the Philippines this month yet still haven’t received their tax refunds and rebates after duly paying their obligations to the CNMI government.

“I feel sorry for the ordinary ‘Juan Dela Cruz,’ who can’t do anything but cry in silence since he can’t do anything at this point and that’s the reality,” he said.

Mendoza also said that he even wants to bring his situation to the next level and go to a lawyer but he is unsure if anybody would take his case.

“I’m only after bringing this out for my fellow Filipinos,” added Mendoza.