Manhunt on for Ligots

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday ordered a manhunt against former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot and his wife Erlinda after the couple reportedly went missing following the issuance of an arrest order by the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) for tax evasion.

De Lima said she instructed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to lead the manhunt and effect the warrant of arrest issued by the court against the Ligot couple.

“(As) per BI (Bureau of Immigration) database, the spouses Jacinto and Erlinda Ligot are in the country,” De Lima said.

“I instructed the NBI to locate them and effect their arrest,” she added.

Malacañang called on the Ligots to surface and answer the allegations against them.

“If they feel that they have a good defense, they should defend themselves in court,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

De Lima said the case against the Ligots is important because it is very rare that officials get jailed for tax evasion.

She said they want to show that their efforts are really paying off.

De Lima said she received a report from the BI that the Ligots are still in the country.

BI spokesperson Ma. Antonette Mangrobang said their computer records showed that as of yesterday, the Ligots were still in the country.

“The bureau’s computer section showed that General Ligot last left the country 11 years ago or on April 2, 2000 and returned on April 4, 2000. This was his last arrival and we do not have any departure record after that,” Mangrobang said.

“Erlinda Ligot y Yambao’s last departure was on June 26, 2010 with an allowed departure order, so I suppose this is Mrs. Ligot, and her arrival is on June 30, 2010. After that, there has been no record that she departed,” she added.

The CTA’s Second Division has ordered the arrest of the Ligots on tax evasion charges filed against them by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The resolution was promulgated on Sept. 28 but was made public only Friday.

De Lima learned the CTA failed to serve the arrest warrant on the Ligot couple after the police issued a Return of Warrant of Arrest to the court.

This means the couple could not be served the arrest warrant since they were missing from their last known address.

The Return of Warrant of Arrest stated that the accused were not residents of the address stated - a condominium unit at the Essensa East Forbes in Taguig City.

Court officers also said they have no record on the Ligots’ lawyers, and have not received any pleading from the couple. They also have no information on the couple.

De Lima said the Ligots are now considered fugitives from justice since they have not posted bail with the court.

The Ligot couple is facing several tax evasion cases for violating Articles 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code for attempting to evade payment of tax from 2002 to 2004.

In the CTA resolution, the Ligots were accused of failing to report a total income of P165.4 million and as a result incurred a total tax deficiency of P153.2 million for the year, exclusive of interest and penalty charges.

The decision covers only the taxable year 2003 as against the four other tax evasion charges filed against the Ligot couple at the CTA.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier recommended the filing of charges against the Ligots for violation of Section 225 of the NIRC of 1997 for taxable year 2001, and for violation of Section 254 of the NIRC for three counts for taxable years 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Last March, the BIR filed a case against the couple for failing to declare their income of roughly P459.6 million from 2001 to 2004.

The BIR said the couple used this income to acquire several properties in the country and abroad.

Furthermore, the Ligots owed the government a combined tax deficiency of P428 million from 2003 to 2004, BIR data showed.

Of the P428 million, the retired general has a tax deficiency of P290.2 million while his wife owes the government P137 million. 

The BIR said Ligot made several deposits and investments of substantial amounts, including two deposits of $1.288 million and $1.6 million with Citibank. 

He also purchased several properties that included parcels of land in Malaybalay, Bukidnon and Rizal, a Paseo Parkview Tower II Condominium unit at Salcedo Village in Makati City and a luxury vehicle.

His wife Erlinda also made deposits and substantial investments, including a deposit of $200,000 with Citibank.

While Ligot was serving as comptroller of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), his wife Erlinda allegedly made “several bank deposits,” including a $200,000 bank transaction, according to the BIR.

The BIR said Erlinda purchased several properties that included a Paseo Parkview Tower II condominium unit at Salcedo Village in Makati City, a $322,181 real property at No. 1240 Cabernet Circle, Anaheim, California, and a $599,500 house and lot at 7102 Stanton Avenue, Buena Park, California.

The Buena Park property was already forfeited by the US government, upon the request of the Philippines in invoking the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). The property was listed under the name of Erlinda Ligot.

Last April, the US government turned over to the Philippines the $132,000 proceeds from the sale of the property.

The Ligots are currently facing a forfeiture case filed against them in 2005 before the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division for amassing P135.28 million in unexplained wealth.  

The Ligots came into play during the Senate investigation into massive corruption in the AFP. Among the issues raised was the giving of “pabaon” or send-off money to retiring generals, with the money coming from the funds of the AFP. - With Aurea Calica, Evelyn Macairan