Tax raps filed vs ex-Quezon City mayor

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed tax code violation charges against former Quezon City mayor Brigido Simon Jr., in his capacity as president of a company, for his alleged failure to present the firm’s accounting records for 2008 despite a subpoena for it.

Based on the complaint filed before the Quezon City Prosecutors’ Office, Simon is president of Bumbaran Development Corp., which has business addresses at Borres Building in New Manila, Quezon City.

According to the BIR, it sent a letter of authority to the company in June last year for the examination of its books of accounts for the year 2008.

BIR lawyer Philip Mayo said the bureau sent a subpoena to Simon last July 27, calling on him to appear on Aug. 20 before the BIR legal division chief and bring the accounting records for 2008.

In his affidavit, Mayo said that despite the subpoena served on Simon, the latter failed to appear and present the accounting records being demanded by the BIR.

According to the BIR, failure to heed its summons is punishable by a fine of P5,000 to P10,000 or imprisonment of one to two years.

The STAR tried contacting Simon’s cellular phone number for comment but he could not be reached.