Pacquiao on unpaid taxes: Give to Caesar what is due to Caesar

ILOILO CITY—Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday urged those who have unpaid taxes to settle their accounts with the government.

The presidential candidate made the remark when asked if he would have the Bureau of Internal Revenue intensify its efforts in collecting the Marcoses' estate tax which is said to be valued at over P200 billion.

"Even the President sabi niya bayaran niyo 'yung tax na hindi niyo binayaran. Bayaran niyo ang tax na hindi niyo binayaran kasi commitment din naman natin 'yan," Pacquiao said at a news conference during a campaign stop.

"'Yan ay hindi lamang command ng tao kundi command ng gobyerno. Sabi nga give to Caesar what is due to Caesar, and give to God what is God's," he added.

(Even the President said you should pay the taxes you have not paid. Pay the taxes that you have not yet paid because that is also our commitment. That is not just a man's command but the government's. As it is said, give to Caesar what is due to Caesar, and give to God what is God's.)

"'Yan po ang commitment natin, ang hindi natin maiiwasan sa buhay na magbabayad ka ng tax dahil nandito pa tayo sa mundo," Pacquiao said.

(That is our commitment, what we could not avoid in life to pay taxes because we are still here on earth.)

Malacañang earlier in the day said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) should go after all people who have yet to pay their taxes amid the issue of the Marcos family's estate tax debt.

“Hindi lang sa kung sinong politiko o personalidad. Aba dapat sa lahat ng hindi nagbabayad ay habulin ng BIR sapagkat kailangan ng karagdagang pondo ang ating national government,” acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said.

(Not only a certain politician or personality. The BIR should go after all those who are not paying their taxes because the national government needs additional funds.)

On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said the BIR should be asked why it had yet to collect a certain estate tax due. He didn't name from whom the estate tax should be collected.

Department of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) continued to demand the unpaid tax from the administrators of the Marcos estate. —NB, GMA News