Moreno vows to collect Marcos family's P200 billion estate tax debt

Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno on Monday vowed to retrieve the Marcos family's estate tax debt of P200 billion, proposing to use the money for aid.

Moreno said he would implement the decision of the Supreme Court in 1997 in which the high court denied the petition filed by presidential candidate and former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals.

“Magbibigay ako ng ayuda (I will hand out cash aid). I’ll make sure, I will implement the decision of the Supreme Court G.R. 120880 June of 1997 na may isang pamilya na pinagbabayad ng estate tax. As we speak, about P200 billion already,” he said.

“Now if and if, ako ang maging presidente, yung pera na yun na buwis ha? Hindi po ito regular tax. Estate tax. Ngayon po para magka idea kayo, ngayon P200 billion na ang halaga. Eh, kung ipamigay ko ‘yun na ayuda?” he added.

(If I become president, that is tax money. Not a regular tax but estate tax. To give you an idea, that's now worth P200 billion. What if I use this for cash aid?)

He joked: “Tutal pera niyo naman ‘yun eh.”

(Anyway, it is your money.)

In 1994, the CA ruled that ”the deficiency assessments for estate and income tax made upon the petitioner and the estate of the deceased President Marcos have already become final and unappealable, and may thus be enforced by the summary remedy of levying upon the properties” of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

There were no pronouncements as to costs.

Moreno said that should the “other” win, the estate tax would be erased.

“Pero pag hindi tayo ang nanalo, at yun ang nanalo, malamang burado na ang utang na yun. Kayo na ang mag isip,” he said.

(But if we don't we and the other guy does, likely that debt will be written off. You figure it out.)

The mayor also advised the public to scrutinize individuals who do not want to let go of power.

“Kaya minsan mag iisip kayo, bakit ‘yung ibang tao ayaw tumigil sa pagtakbo. Bakit ayaw tumigil mawalan ng kapangyarihan. Tignan niyo maigi lang. Tayo ang kawawa kapag hindi natin nausisa,” he said.

(Think about it sometime, why do some people keep running for office? Why don't want to be out of power? Look at it closely. We suffer the consequences when we don't think these things through.)

GMA News had sought comment from Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos and his representatives, but they had yet to comment on the matter as of posting time. — DVM, GMA News