Walden Bello to Bongbong: Pay your taxes

Vice presidential candidate Professor Walden Bello kept his focus on presidential bet Bongbong Marcos and his tax issues as he and running mate labor leader Leody De Guzman visited indigenous communities in South Cotabato on Sunday. 

“April 18 bukas last day ng filing ng income tax. Sila Marcos, dapat magbayad ng buwis,” Bello said in a video aired on 24 Oras Weekend.

(Tomorrow is April 18, which is the last day of filing of income tax. The Marcoses need to pay their taxes.)

De Guzman, meanwhile, said he had not been aware of the joint press conference held Senator Panfilo Lacson, former Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno the same day.

“Hindi ako inimbitahan. Hindi ako sinama, hindi ko alam kung ano ‘yung agenda. Pero nabasa ko na parang magdedeklara lang sila na hindi sila mag-withdraw,” De Guzman said.

(I was not invited. I wasn’t included, I didn’t know what the agenda was. But I read that it looks like they will just declare that they will not withdraw their candidacy.)

He further said that they are also opposing the proposed open pit mining in South Cotabato during their meeting with tribe leaders of T’boli.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) earlier said it sent a demand letter to the Marcoses last year regarding their P203 billion tax liabilities.

On March 30, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the BIR continued to demand that the Marcoses settle their estate tax debt.

Marcos' camp insists that the pieces of property that are the subject of the tax case are still under litigation. — Mel Matthew Doctor/BM, GMA News