Marcos camp: P203-B tax issue still unresolved in court; ‘lies,’ says Aksyon Demokratiko

Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.'s camp on Sunday claimed that the supposed P203 billion in tax liabilities owed by the Marcoses is still pending in court—a statement rejected by Aksyon Demokratiko as "lies."

In a statement, Marcos’ spokesman Vic Rodriguez said that the noise about the issue is "all politics."

“It’s not a coincidence that rivals of presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos are raising this matter in unison a few weeks before the elections. Sadly, this is all about politics,” Rodriguez said.

“Our rivals are misdirecting everyone by claiming that the case has attained finality when the truth of the matter is, it is still pending in court and the ownership of the properties in litigation has yet to be settled,” he added.

'All lies'

Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno's political party Aksyon Demokratiko dismissed Rodriguez’s claims as "all lies."

Party chairman Ernesto Ramel reiterated that the Supreme Court affirmed in 1997 a Court of Appeals ruling that declared the Marcoses’ estate to have a tax deficiency of P23 billion but ballooned to P203 billion due to interests and penalties 20 years later.

“Ipinahiya na kayo ng Presidential Commission on Good Government [PCGG] sa kanilang sagot sa aming liham at muli na naman kayong sinisingil ng Bureau of Internal Revenue [BIR] noong December 2, 2021 sa kanila ding pagtugon sa aming katanungan,” Ramel said.

(The Presidential Commission on Good Government has humiliated you in their response to our letter and the Bureau of Internal Revenue again charged you on December 2, 2021 in its response to our question.)

“Mismong Department of Finance [DOF] nitong nakaraang linggo lamang ay pinagsabihan din ang BIR na singilin na ang sinungaling mo ding amo,” he added.

(The Department of Finance itself just last week told the BIR to charge your lying boss.)

Moreover, Ramel demanded that Rodriguez stop “deceiving” Filipinos with allegations “full of arrogance and pride.”

“Ang P203B ng mamamayang Pilipino kung makakatsamba si Marcos Jr. ay siguradong mawawala na lang na parang bula. Kitang-kita ito sa inyong mga kilos, pananalita, kasinungalingan at mga palusot. Tama na, sobra na, Atty. Vic Rodriguez at Marcos Jr. Ibigay na ninyo ang para sa Pilipino!” Ramel added.

(If Marcos Jr. wins the presidency, the Filipino people's P203B will surely disappear like a bubble. It is evident in your actions, words, lies, and excuses. Enough is enough Atty. Vic Rodriguez and Marcos Jr. Give the money to the Filipinos!)

Earlier, the BIR confirmed that it sent to the Marcos family a written demand to settle their estate tax liabilities.

On Tuesday, Aksyon Demokratiko requested a copy of the BIR's demand letter. —BM, GMA News