BIR files complaint vs. 127 corporations over P6-B tax liability

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed complaints for tax evasion against 127 corporations over tax liabilities amounting to P6 billion.

“Nandito po tayo ngayon sa DOJ, nagsagawa po tayo ng pangalawa nating nationwide filing ng kaso laban sa mga kumpanya, sa mga corporate officers dahil sa hindi pagbabayad ng buwis,” BIR chief Romeo “Jun” Lumagui said in an ambush interview.

(We are here at the DOJ for our second nationwide filing against companies and corporate officers because they are evading taxes.)

In its press release, the BIR said the complaints were filed against 214 corporate officers.

Lumagui said they found that some of the corporations did not remit their withholding tax, or the money deducted by an employer from employees, and their value-added tax to the BIR.

“Dahil ang witholding tax kinukuha ng kumpanya… kinaltasan nila ng buwis ‘yung kanilang mga empleyado. Ang obligasyon nila as witholding agents ay kailangan nila ibigay ito sa BIR,” Lumagui said.

(The withholding tax were taken by companies… they deduct the taxes from their employees. They are obligated as withholding agents to give these to the BIR.)

“So binayaran na buwis yan ng empleyado at kumita pa sila dahil ang ginawa nila, kinuha nila, kinaltasan nila ang empleyado, tinago nila, at hindi nila ni-remit dito sa amin,” he added.

(So the employee paid the tax and the corporations earned something because they deducted it from the employee, they hid it, and then they did not remit it to the BIR.)

According to Lumagui, some corporations also failed to answer notices from the agency.

“Ang ginagawa kasi diyan kadalasan hindi pinapansin ang aming proseso. Magpapadala kami ng letter of authority, io-audit namin dahil kasi meron kaming makikitang red flag o mali sa kanilang pag-rereport ng revenues o sa kanilang pag re-report ng expenses,” he said.

(Sometimes they ignore our processes. We will send a letter of authority because we see red flags or something wrong with how they report their revenues or expenses.)

“‘Yung iba hindi pinapansin ang proseso namin pagka pinapaldahan namin sila kahit natanggap nila ay hindi pinapansin dahil iniisip nila wala namang patutunguhan ang audit process namin,” he added.

(Sometimes, they ignore our processes even though they received them because they think our audit process will lead to nowhere.)

According to Lumagui, there are companies involved in manufacturing, retail, importation, and construction. He said some companies are "worth billions.”

Lumagui, meanwhile, called on businesses to pay their taxes and to heed notices from the agency.

“Kapag nakatanggap kayo ng sulat o letter of authority galing sa BIR ay pansinin niyo ito dahil kung hindi niyo ito pansinin ay matutuloy tuloy ang aming audit at magkakaroon kayo ng assessment,” he added.

(If you receive a letter from the BIR, don’t ignore it because our process will continue and we will have an assessment.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News