BIR eyes P51 B from 133 tax evasion cases

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) hopes to collect P50.773 billion in unpaid taxes from 133 cases it has so far filed at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The agency has filed a total of 133 tax evasion cases since the start of the Aquino administration under the Run After Tax Evaders (Rate) program.

However, since 2005, a total of 258 cases have been filed under the program.

Of the total number of cases, at least 26 have been resolved by the DOJ and 14 have been filed in court.

Some 52 cases have been submitted for resolution while others are still for assignment or are still in the preliminary investigation stage.

The BIR recently presented last week its RATE program to a visiting team from its counterpart in Chile, the Chilean Internal Revenue Service as part of a knowledge-sharing program.

BIR Assistant Commissioner James Roldan said during the presentation that the BIR has filed RATE cases against businessmen and professionals as well as Certified Public Accountants who issued unqualified opinions and certifications of the audited financial statements submitted by taxpayers.

“Former high-ranking government officials, including officers of the military and no less than the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court have all been subjects of RATE cases filed under the present administration,” Roldan said.

Last August, the BIR filed a tax evasion case against former chief justice Renato Corona, his daughter and his son-in-law.

The BIR said it would continue to file tax evasion cases at the Justice department once every two weeks to send a message to delinquent taxpayers that the agency is serious in boosting collections.