BIR to investigate Comelec's Bautista for tax evasion

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Sunday said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will begin investigating Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista and his relatives for possible tax evasion.

"Sinasabi niya that some of his money aren't owned by him but by his relatives, 'di ba? So all of these will be investigated," said Aguirre, who met with BIR Commissioner Cesar Dulay to discuss allegations of ill-gotten wealth against the comelec chief.

To jumpstart the process, Aguirre said in a text message that Dulay would issue a Letter of Authority to investigate possible tax liabilities of Bautista and "other personalities connected with him."

The investigation will look into allegations made by Bautista's spouse, Patricia, which she made in an affidavit submitted to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on August 1. In her affidavit, Patricia Bautista claimed her husband had almost P1 billion in ill-gotten wealth.

The NBI, with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), is already examining Chairman Bautista's alleged 38 bank accounts, several of which were with the Luzon Development Bank.

The NBI is also coordinating with the Office of the Ombudsman in assessing Chairman Bautista's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Government agents are set to coordinate with other relevant government agencies and private entities such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Land Registration Authority, Land Transportation Office, the Philippine Stock Exchange and the various property developers.

Coordination with foreign counterparts would be also undertaken by the NBI following Patricia's allegation that Bautista has investments in companies based in The British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, and Anguilla, a British territory in the Caribbean.

Among the matters the Justice secretary wanted investigated were transactions at the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) when Bautista was PCGG chair.

"We found that they issued more than P3 million [worth] of gift checks. I don't know if these are allowed by the COA (Commission on Audit). We also found some dealings with the Divina Law Office for services rendered by the said law office, with the sum of P250,000, o 75 [thousand], merong 500 [thousand]," Aguirre explained.

Patricia earlier said that Divina Law represented two sequestered firms, the Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Co. Inc. (BASECO) and United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB).

Meanwhile, Patricia could possibly enter the witness protection program after she allegedly received threats. Neither Chairman Bautista nor his representatives have commented on the alleged threats.—Virgil Lopez and Margaret Claire Layug/DVM/KG, GMA News