Isko party asks BIR for copy of demand letter for Marcos family's P203-B tax liabilities

Aksyon Demokratiko, the political party of presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, has requested the Bureau of Internal Revenue for a copy of its letter demanding the Marcos family to pay their P203 billion tax liabilities.

Party chairman Ernesto Ramel said they see no impediment for the release of the letter as it is a public document “imbued with much public interest.”

“The aggregate amount of P203.819 billion which the Marcos heirs owe to Filipino people is such a big amount that Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, if elected president, promised to give as 'ayuda' to millions of our countrymen who lost their jobs and livelihood during the pandemic,” Ramel wrote in a letter addressed to BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay dated March 21.

Ramel earlier said the BIR has informed them that it has sent in December 2021 a written demand to the Marcos family to pay their estate taxes liability worth P203 billion.

In response, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, spokesperson for former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who is also running for president, said that the P203 billion estate tax of the Marcos family remains unsettled since the properties linked to the case are still under litigation.

He added that even BIR and the Presidential Commission on Good Government “have arrived at an agreement for the BIR to wait for the decision on the said case before any collection.”

Meanwhile, Moreno’s campaign manager, Lito Banayo, urged Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez to order his department to collect Marcos’ estate tax.

“Siguro naman dapat na ang DOF, utusan na talaga ang BIR na singilin ang P203B na ito upang maitulong na ayuda sa mga nawalan ng trabaho,” Banayo said in a press briefing.

(Maybe the DOF should order the BIR to go after the P203 billion to help those who have lost their jobs.)

Fake news?

Marcos previously said there is “a lot of fake news involved” in the issues regarding his family's ill-gotten wealth.

However, Ramel pointed out that the “real fake news” is the refusal of Marcos “to admit the truth to continue confusing the people.”

“Hindi po paninira at negatibong kampanya ang magsabi ng katotohanan. Nagsalita na po ang Korte Suprema at naghatol na ito ay pinal na. Nagsalita na po kamakailan ang PCGG at BIR bilang tugon sa aming liham at pinasinungalingan ng mga ito ang mga pahayag ni Atty. Vic Rodriguez, isa mga mamahaling abogado at tagapagsalita ni Marcos Jr,” Ramel said.

(It is not slander and a negative campaign to tell the truth. The Supreme Court has already spoken and ruled that it is final. PCGG and BIR have spoken recently in response to our letter, and they have denied the statements of Atty. Vic Rodriguez, one of Marcos Jr.’s lawyers and spokespersons.) —KBK, GMA News