BIR claims Pacquiaos lost right to appeal warrant on bank accounts in P2.2B tax case

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Tuesday insisted that boxing champ and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee can no longer appeal before the court for lifting the BIR-imposed warrants on their bank accounts.

 

The 30-day provision for an appeal has lapsed since the decision was served on May 20, 2013, the bureau's lawyer emphasized during a hearing Tuesday at the Court of Tax Appeals.

 

It was after 30 days that the agency issued a warrant of garnishment against the Pacquiao couple's bank accounts, BIR lawyer Felix Raul Velasco told the court. 

 

The BIR is claiming a P2.2-billion tax deficiency against the Pacquiaos.

 

The boxing champ supposedly failed to include in his income tax returns his taxable earnings from fights and endorsements in the US in 2008 and 2009.

 

However, the Pacquiao camp is insisting the couple was not able to respond to the final decision on disputed assessment (FDDA), which contains the amount of tax Pacquiao should settle, since the notice was not delivered to the lawyers.

 

At the hearing, Pacquiao lawyer Jayson Fernandez questioned Leonesto Bernal of the BIR National Investigation Division on the witness stand, basically on why the bureau did not furnish the law firm Romulo Mabanta, Buenaventura, Sayoc, de los Angeles – as Pacquiao's legal counsel – a copy of the notice.

 

Bernal argued there was no formal request citing law firm as representing Pacquiao in the case. He said the BIR sent via LBC copies of the written notice to the Pacquiaos' residential addresses in Sarangani and in General Santos City. – VS, GMA News