Protesters ask BIR to collect Marcoses' unpaid taxes

Several groups added their voice to the call for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to demand payment of the Marcoses' tax liability amounting to P203.819 billion.

According to Saleema Refran’s “24 Oras” report on Thursday, the groups trooped to the BIR office in Quezon City carrying placards seeking action on the unpaid estate taxes.  

They also submitted a letter to the management of the BIR on their call.

In a forum, retired Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio also called on the BIR to file criminal cases against the Marcos family for “willfully” refusing to pay their tax liability.

“That P203 billion will be gone because up to now he is even contesting it. Final and executory na, unappealable na kinukwestyon pa,” Carpio said.

“The voters should understand that, I mean, do they want a president who will teach the people not to pay taxes by his example,” he added.

Former BIR commissioner Kim Henares said the Marcoses could have paid lower estate tax if they had settled earlier.

“They should have availed of the tax amnesty law which was implemented and which had the deadline on last June 14, 2021. Under the tax amnesty law, he could have paid just 50%.. But that amnesty law has already lapsed,” she said.

GMA News sought comment from presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Senator Imee Marcos, and former first Lady Imelda Marcos on the issue.

Meanwhile, BIR commissioner Caesar Dulay earlier said that the "BIR did send a written demand to the Marcos heirs on December 2, 2021 regarding their tax liabilities."—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News