Taxpayers warned to take legal threats seriously

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the government’s main revenue agency, warned other erring taxpayers to take the agency’s threats against tax evaders seriously.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said the Aquino administration is serious in its efforts to go after tax evaders whoever they may be, and that its multimillion peso tax evasion suit case against Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and his wife proves this.

“After Mikey Arroyo, I hope others will learn their lesson,” Henares told The STAR.

She said the BIR would continue to step up its fight against tax evaders and would not be singling out anyone. The agency, she added, acts on evidence gathered before it files a case.

Last week, the BIR filed a P73.85-million tax evasion case against Arroyo and his wife Maria Angela for not paying taxes when his mother, now a Pampanga congresswoman, was still President.

Henares said Ang Galing Pinoy Rep. Mikey Arroyo and his wife failed to file income tax returns from 2004 to 2009.

In particular, Henares said the couple failed to pay the commensurate taxes of the properties they declared in their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) from 2004 to 2009.

Henares said based on the tax agency’s investigation, the Arroyos owned residential properties in Pampanga, Quezon City and in the United States. Aside from these residential properties, the Arroyo couple also declared in their SALN other assets such as motor vehicles, jewelry, clothes and shares of stock.