BIR to press drive versus tax evaders

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will continue with its anti-tax evaders program even as the agency’s legal chief is in the center of a smuggling controversy, its top official said.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said that the BIR’s Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program would continue despite criticisms from Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali.

Umali, a former deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, alleged that the reason the BIR’s RATE program has not been succeeding is that the agency’s legal chief, BIR Deputy Commissioner Estela Sales is coddling smugglers and tax evaders.

Sales vehemently denied the allegations and vowed to take legal action against Umali for tagging her in smuggling activities.

Henares, for her part, said that as BIR chief, she is the one who initiates the filing of cases against tax evaders and not Sales or anyone else.

She said that the BIR files cases based on the information it gathers.

Furthermore, Henares said the agency does not discriminate against anyone.

“It doesn’t really matter who they are,” said Henares.

Umali, in a recent hearing at the House of Representatives named Sales as one of the government officials protecting a certain Boy Valenzuela.

Valenzuela, Umali alleged, was responsible for diverting close to 2,000 container vans of various goods supposedly destined for the Port of Batangas.

Sales said she does not even know who Boy Valenzuela is.

Under the RATE program, the Aquino administration expects to collect at least P23.38 billion in additional revenues from some 60 cases it has filed.

RATE is the government’s program against tax evaders. Under this, the BIR has been filing before the Department of Justice cases against tax evaders every other week.

A parallel program is the Bureau of Custom’s (BOC) Run After Smugglers or RATS program.

The BIR is tasked to collect P940 billion this year while the BOC has a revenue goal of P320 billion.