Pacquiao pays P2M back taxes

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — To prove that he is not remiss with his obligation as a taxpayer, Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao partially paid P2-million in taxes in a local revenue district office here yesterday.

"This will show that I am very much willing to pay my income tax," said Pacquiao shortly after he handed over the P2-million PCI-Equitable check to revenue district officer Eric Furia.

Furia said the partial payment of Pacquiao would cover the supposed tax obligations he owed the government from his 42 fights since 1995-2004 and from his product endorsements.

He added the government was supposed to get sizeable taxes from the former boxing champ if he hadn’t filed his income tax properly especially from his endorsement of products like Talk n Text and Smart cellular phones, Pone and No Fear sportswear, Burlington socks, Red Bull, Family Rubbing Alcohol, Mareishi herbal coffee, Alaxan and Surf.

Pacquiao admitted earlier that he has no knowledge about his tax obligations and blamed his manager, Rod Nazario, for the fiasco.

"It was an honest mistake because I’ve never been informed by my manager," said Pacquiao who promised to settle his remaining tax obligations in due time. — John Paul Jubelag