CONSUMER TERRORISM ang bagong text tax na napapabalitang nais ipatupad ng pamahalaan.

Ayon sa consumer group na TXTPower, kagaya ng mga walang pusong terorista ang mga nagpapanukala ng pagbubuwis sa cellphone services upang malunasan ang P173-billion budget deficit.

“The government is acting like the Al Qaedas and Abu Sayyafs of the market. They are terrorizing consumers with this new tax that will surely lessen the value of cellphone prepaid cards or raise already-exorbitant call and text rates,” ang pahayag ni TXTPower spokesperson Anthony Ian Cruz.

“They may destroy the world’s text messaging capital through this terrorist tax,” ayon pa kay Cruz. “Notice the stealthy way they draft this tax measure. They know that it will encounter public opposition so they resort to secrecy.”

Nagbanta rin si Cruz na pakatatandaan ng texters hanggang sa 2004 ang mga mambabatas na susuporta sa panukalng text tax: "We will work hard to deal them a lesson in respecting the rights of consumers already burdened by high prices and numerous taxes."

Masyado na aniyang marami ang mga buwis na binabayaran ang texters, kabilang ang 10-percent expanded value-added tax at ang communications tax at halos one-third ng kasalukuyang rates ng pagtawag at pagtext ay napupunta na sa gubyerno.

“The government owes so much to consumers. It should work to lower the cost of communicating to make it easily accessible to the public. It should also probe into the oligopoly operations of mobile phone companies Globe and Smart,” ayon kay Cruz.

Dapat aniyang maghanap ng ibang paraan ng pagkakakitaan ang pamahalaan upang mabawasan ang budget deficit.

“If the government intends to plug the budget deficit, it should stop spending precious funds on President Arroyo’s premature presidential campaign and trash the onerous contracts between the National Power Corporation and independent power producers. Another way is to seize the ill-gotten wealth of ousted President Estrada and other corrupt public officials,” said Cruz.

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