Pacman: I hold no grudge vs BIR chief

MANILA, Philippines - Senatorial aspirant and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao holds no anger or grudge against Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares, who wants him and wife Jinkee to pay P2.2 billion in alleged back taxes.

“I have no anger or grudge for her. The Lord teaches us to love our fellowmen, including our enemies. I am not saying though that she is my enemy,” he said in a television interview.

The Pacquiaos have appealed the BIR assessment with the Court of Tax Appeals.

The latest word from Henares is that they are still pursuing the case against the Pacquiao couple.

The boxing champion said the case stemmed from their failure to submit to the BIR original copies or certified true copies of his tax payments in the United States for his earnings from his fights there.

“When we were finally able to secure the needed copies, they told us that the submission deadline has already lapsed and that we had to face the assessment,” he said.

“If I did not pay my taxes to the US Internal Revenue Service, I would not have been able to return there,” he said.

In 2008, Pacquiao was BIR’s poster boy for tax compliance. He was then the No. 1 individual taxpayer. He paid more than P125 million in income taxes.

His tax payment suddenly dropped to P7 million in 2009 and P9 million in 2010, prompting the BIR to launch a tax audit.

In 2013, he was again the top individual taxpayer. He paid P163.8 million in income taxes.

In the same interview, the boxing champion promised to improve his attendance in Congress and performance as a senator if he gets elected.

He said he would have greater responsibility and a nationwide constituency as a member of the Senate.

He admitted that his fights and training abroad and work in his district have kept him from attending more sessions of the House, where he is one of the top absentee members.

As a senatorial wannabe, he said he is offering his “sincerity and fear of God” to voters.

“If politicians have fear of God, they will not steal,” said the richest member of Congress.

He said his wife Jinkee, incumbent vice governor of their province, is not seeking reelection, though she would have no opponent and would thus be assured of victory if she did.

“She’s quitting politics to attend to our growing children,” he said.

However, one of Pacquiao’s brothers would aspire for the congressional seat he would vacate, while another brother would run for councilor of General Santos City.