BIR files tax evasion raps worth P54.35M 

In connection with its name and shame campaign to run after tax evaders, two tax evasion cases worth a total of P54.35 million were filed yesterday by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the government's tax collection agency.   The first case was filed against a Manila contractor who secured several tax identification numbers from various BIR revenue district offices, which is prohibited by law. BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said Oscar Repuyan Badillo, the sole proprietor of Royal Trust Construction, allegedly employed this scheme to avoid actual payment of taxes. Henares held the bureau's regular press briefing on Thursday and talked to reporters about the latest cases the BIR is pursuing against tax evaders.   BIR said Badillo violated Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code for attempting to evade taxes and failing to file income tax returns for 2009. It computed his total tax liability at P30.35 million.   The second case was against First Flemming Properties Inc. and a certain Lerma Lasala over the misdeclared value of taxes that should have been paid in the sale of two parcels of land in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro.   Lasala allegedly declared only P100,000 and paid only P71,400 in capital gains tax and P17,650 in documentary stamp tax even though the properties were classified as commercial and that the transaction was actually worth P13.8 million.   BIR also said that the properties were declared as capital asset instead of ordinary asset, and that First Flemming failed to report it in its audited financial statement.   First Flemming is being charged for attempting to evade taxes, failing to file value added tax and expanded withholding tax returns and failing to supply the BIR with correct and accurate information,  Henares said.   According to BIR, First Flemming has a total deficiency tax of P15.08 million including surcharge and interest.   Lasala, meanwhile, is being charged for “willful attempt to evade or defeat tax, failing to file tax returns and failing to supply the bureau with correct and accurate information.”   The BIR estimates his total deficiency tax at P8.92 million.   The filing of the cases is part of BIR’s Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program, a name and shame campaign to help the agency boost its tax collections. —With Aileen Estoquia/VS, GMA News