BIR: 3 Corona relatives under probe for possible tax evasion

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has confirmed that it is also investigating three family members of former Chief Justice Renato Corona for possible tax evasion.

BIR chief Kim Henares said a tax probe on Corona’s wife Maria Cristina, daughter Carla Corona-Castillo, and son-in-law Constantino Castillo III is based on information gathered during the impeachment trial of the former chief justice.

She said the ousted chief justice should explain some discrepancies in his tax declarations.

“There are things that have to be explained and that’s why we are investigating. But we did not investigate with a conclusion in mind,” Henares said.

“I’m assuring everyone, not only chief justice Corona, but anyone that the Internal Revenue investigates, that in any investigation, we investigate to find out whether there is something wrong. We’re not investigating to prove there is something wrong,” she added.

Henares earlier rejected calls from several senators for the administration not to pursue other cases against Corona and his family considering that he had already been removed from office and barred permanently from joining public service.

“This (investigation) will continue and the investigation must be concluded. We have to complete this,” Henares said. She said the investigation started last February at the height of the impeachment trial against Corona.

“I would think significantly, most (tax violation leads) arose from what was presented or what was gathered during the impeachment proceeding,” she said.

Henares said Corona had been promptly notified of the BIR’s investigation but has not yet replied.

“We should understand that the chief justice and his family were busy with the impeachment. We gave him the letter of authority and he has not yet responded,” Henares said.

“Probably now that the impeachment has been concluded, he can now respond to our questions. Now it would not be asking too much for him to act on his case at the BIR,” she added.