BIR sues PNP-PDEA supplier, 3 other firms for tax evasion

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed a P344.5-million tax evasion case against a company that was tapped by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for office materials, food supplies, and janitorial and transportation services from 2010 to 2013.

 

In a complaint filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ), the bureau accused Ma. Cristina Ventura, owner of Mebb Enterprise and BEMV Transport Service, of willful attempt to evade or defeat taxes, and willful failure to supply the correct and accurate information, and pay her value-added tax in violation of Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

 

According to the PNP, it gave Ventura, through her two companies, payments amounting to P102.77 million and P846.72 million. 

 

PDEA revealed giving her firms separate payments amounting to P60.85 million and P38.74 million.

 

The BIR investigators, however, discovered that Ventura only declared an income of P5.72 million in 2010, P6.73 million in 2011, P7.69 million in 2012, and P7.56 million in 2013.

 

She also failed to file her 2013 income tax return.

 

“A comparison of the income of Ventura received from the PNP and PDEA vis-a-vis the amount of income she declared in her VAT returns with the BIR disclosed that she deliberately concealed her true gross income by substantially under declaring her correct taxable income by 4,617 percent,” the BIR claimed.

 

The bureau computed Ventura’s aggregate tax liability at P334.50 million.

 

The BIR also filed separate tax evasion complaints against three other companies.

 

Cagayan-based businessman Reynaldo Aquino, who owns R.P. Aquino Agricultural and Poultry Supply, R.P. Aquino Hardware and R.P. Palay and Corn Trading, was sued for owing the government P12.84 million in tax deficiency. The BIR accused him of willful failure to pay income tax and VAT for taxable year 2010.

 

Also sued were Quezon City-based security service firm Kintanar Detective Security Associate Inc., its president Gloria Kintanar, and treasurer Maria Victoria Jopson Kintanar. The BIR said the firm and its responsible corporate officers owed the government P13.25 million in tax liabilities for 2007.

 

Timog Food Ventures Inc. and its president David Tan were also sued for incurring P6.10 million in tax liabilities for 2008. The firm is engaged in operating and maintaining restaurants, coffee shops, refreshment parlors, cocktail lounges and food catering services. – VS, GMA News