No tax cases yet against Lucio Tan and others mentioned by Duterte – BIR

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has not filed any tax case against business mogul Lucio C. Tan and other so-called oligarchs named by the President, BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay said in an interview with reporters.

"Frankly, I'm not aware of any pending case against Mr. Lucio Tan, but give me a few more days and I'll look at the records and talk to the assessment people of BIR and probably I can come up with a definite answer," Dulay said.

"Well, as far as I know, wala pa kaming nadedevelop na kaso diyan sa mga nabanggit ng Presidente," Dulay told reporters on Monday, the last day of filing of income tax returns.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has alleged Tan has as much as P30 billion in unpaid taxes.

Dulay said the bureau will first have to look at records to see if any case needs to be filed.

"Frankly wala eh, wala pa akong nakikita, pero sinabi ko nga sa 'yo, I'll look at it and you come see me again and I'll tell you kung ano status natin, kung meron," he added.

'We will see'

In a separate report by Sandra Aguinaldo on "Saksi" late Monday, Dulay said that he has not received any case against Tan and other supposed big tax evaders.

"As of this time hindi pa dumaan sa lamesa ko 'yung kay Lucio Tan or some other guys, but we will see how it will develop," the BIR chief said.

Tan has faced several tax evasion cases in the past, the report said.

In March, the Court of Tax Appeals has lowered the tax liability of Northern Tobacco Redrying Co. Inc. – one of Tan's company's – from P90 million to only P200,000.

In 2006, the CTA junked the P25.6-billion tax evasion case against Tan and other officials of Fortune Tobacco Corp.

After the President revived issue of taxes against Tan, it is not clear if new cases will be filed against the businessman, who is one of the richest man in the Philippines with business interests in banking, tobacco, beverages, distilled spirits and property development. — With Ted Cordero and Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News