BIR open to probe anyone for tax violations if given info — Lumagui

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is open to look into any individual to ensure that they are paying their taxes if there is sufficient information to do so, including businessman Atong Ang, Commissioner Romeo “Jun” Lumagui Jr. said Thursday.

He said this when asked if the BIR will look into whether Ang’s businesses are committing tax evasion amid the pending complaint against him with the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Lahat naman ‘yan titignan natin once we have information na mapagsisimulan. So titignan din natin ‘yan, lahat ng mga involved dito, dahil gusto natin siguraduhin na nagbabayad lahat ng tamang buwis,” he said in an interview.

(We will look into all of that once we have information to start from, so we will also look into everyone involved here because we want to ensure that everyone is paying the correct taxes.)

Lumagui, however, clarified that no agency has requested the BIR to do so.

GMA News Online has asked Ang's camp for comment and will publish their response once available.

Ang is facing a complaint for multiple murder, serious illegal detention, enforced disappearance, direct bribery, and obstruction of justice over the missing sabungeros case .

The BIR commissioner was at the DOJ to file tax evasion complaints against 23 corporations, 56 corporate officers, and 17 certified public accountants over the use of ghost receipts.

When asked if this is being considered by the DOJ, Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano said this seemed "a little off tangent" to the complaints.

He said they are focused on the search and retrieval operations at Taal Lake and the new witnesses.

“When we’re talking about the murder cases, we’re talking about the kidnapping that happened, ‘yung torture, apparent torture that had happened, and then of course, ultimately, ‘yung pag patay nung mga tao,” he said in a press briefing.

“Finally, of course, the state will always have an interest in that. Always, always. But if we’re just talking about this case, then mukhang hindi namin isasama ‘yung financial records pa, right,” he added.

Clavano, meanwhile, again declined to confirm the names of the respondents in the complaint filed by the families.—AOL, GMA Integrated News