Court issues gag order vs Pacquiao, BIR - report

MANILA, Philippines - The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has released a gag order against the camp of Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in connection with the boxing icon's tax mess.

According to the state-run People's Television Network, the gag order was regarding the reported frozen bank accounts of Pacquiao, who was asked by the BIR to show proof of his tax payments in the US.

CTA First Division presiding judge Roman del Rosario ordered both camps to stop speaking about Pacquiao's tax case in public or through the media, radio and television reports said.

The reports added that the next hearing on Pacquiao's tax case has been reset to January 16.

The BIR wants to collect P2.2 billion from Pacquiao in allegedly unpaid taxes from 2008 to 2009.

The eight-division world boxing champion had filed a civil case questioning the tax liability.

Last week, Henares said Pacquiao did not state his earnings from the US in his income tax return for 2009.

She had also said that Pacquiao's camp has yet to provide original documents or certified true copies from the US Internal Revenue Service that will prove the boxer's tax payments there.

Top Rank Promotions chief Bob Arum said the company withheld 30 percent of Pacquiao's purses in each fight in the US and were paid directly to the IRS.