Isko: How can gov't collect unpaid taxes from its president?

Presidential candidate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said a government with him at the helm will pursue the P203 billion in estate tax allegedly owed by the Marcoses.

But what could happen if the next president will be from the family who is the subject of the controversy?

“Ang BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) is under the DOF (Department of Finance).  DOF is under the OP (Office of the President).  PCGG (Presidential Commission on Good Government) is under the OP,” he said on a “24 Oras” report.

“Ang iiwan kong tanong sa inyo, pa’no sisingilin ng BIR, DOF at PCGG ‘yung utang ng presidenteng possible sa ating bayan?  Hindi natin alam, bahala na an gating taumbayan sumagot sa tanong na ‘yan?” Moreno said.

A Pulse Asia survey conducted from February 18 to 23, 2022 and released March 14, 2022 showed former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. leading the race for the presidency.

Moreno earlier raised a 1997 Supreme Court resolution on the alleged P23 uncollected taxes from Marcoses' estate.  The amount has since ballooned to P203 billion due to interests and penalties.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has said that it sent presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. a written demand to settle their estate tax liabilities.

The spokesman of Marcos, Vic Rodriguez, had said the pieces of property which were the subject of the tax case were still under litigation.

In a campaign sortie in Laguna Wednesday, Moreno said that with the P203 billion, the government may feed 59 million individuals every day.

“Kapag nasingil natin ‘yung P203 billion, makapagpapakain kain tayo araw-araw, this is literal, araw-araw, ng tao, 59 million na tao at P34 na kumakain ng isang Pilipino na dalawang sakong bigas sa isang taon,” he said.

Moreno also borrowed a previous statement issued by the former senator in urging him to pay for his family’s estate tax debt amounting to P203 billion.

“Ang sabi niya, ni dating Senador Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ang kailangan natin ngayon, ng tao daw ay trabaho. Eh kung ibabayad niyo ‘yung P203 billion marami tayong trabahong maibibigay,” Moreno said.—LDF, GMA News