IPI to fight release of tax info

Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC intends to continue to fight the release of tax information being requested by the Commonwealth Casino Commission through an Open Government Act request because they believe the tax information is “confidential.”

Last Friday, in a showdown between the lawyers of CCC and IPI in court, IPI said that they will continue to argue their right to keeping the confidentiality of the tax information of IPI and the two other companies linked to IPI.

IPI is essentially arguing against the release of its tax information by saying that doing so would also result in the release of the tax information of two other IPI sister-companies that do not operate in the CNMI.

IPI was represented at the hearing by lawyers Viola Alepuyo and Phillip Tydingco, while CCC was represented by assistant attorney general Michael Ernest

Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo ordered both CCC and IPI to return today to further discuss if the temporary restringing order that the Superior Court issued last week against CCC should be dissolved. Govendo also said he would like to pin down what exactly can be made public and what can’t.

At the hearing, Govendo said he understands the arguments of both parties—that CCC is required by law to make public the tax information collected from their license holders and could be subject to criminal penalties if it fails to do so, and that IPI also needs to protect the confidentiality of the two other companies that are not license holders in the CNMI.

Govendo took with him last Friday the binder holding all the information that the CCC acquired from IPI and said he would narrow down what information he believes may be disclosed to the public and what cannot.

During the hearing, CCC executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero was called to testify and told the court that the request for IPI tax information through the Open Government Act was sent in by Rep. Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan) who was also called to testify.

According to Deleon Guerrero, even without an official OGA request, the public can request the information of license holders like IPI because it is all public information.

Propst, who was also called to testify, said he did request the information through an OGA request, but he refused to waive his legislative immunity in court because he said that is what he will use to continue to get information out.

“I will stand, I will testify, but for them to ask if I’m going to waive my legislative immunity, I can’t waive my legislative immunity, that’s ridiculous. I am a representative and I will use my legislative immunity if it means getting information out for the public,” he said.