More cases filed vs. smugglers and tax evaders, says Finance Dept.

The Department of Finance on Tuesday said 28 new cases against tax evasion, fraud and smuggling were filed by the government since November 2012.

 

Eleven of the cases were filed under the Run after Tax Evaders program and 17 were under the Run after the Smugglers initiative, the department noted in a statement.

 

“By aggressively pursuing these cases, we want to tell smugglers and tax evaders they must play fair if they want to do business in the Philippines,” said Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima.

 

“The Department of Finance and its attached agencies remain committed to good economics through good governance,” Purisima noted. “We are working with the Department of Justice and the judiciary for the swift resolution of these cases,” the Finance chief added.

 

Since President Benigno Aquino III assumed office in 2010, the Bureau of Internal Revenue filed 151 tax evasion cases involving P45.18 billion worth of liabilities. 

 

The smuggling cases cover P25.9 billion worth of duties and taxes and P53.23 billion worth of import shipments. — VS, GMA News