Tax evasion rap unfair, says Camarines Sur Rep. Arroyo
MANILA, Philippines – A son of former President and incumbent Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo complained that the Aquino administration was unfairly picking on his family in its tax evasion charges.
In a statement, Camarines Sur Representative Diosdado “Dato” Macapagal Arroyo said that he had nothing to fear against the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s announcement that it would scrutinize his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth a few weeks after it accused his brother, Ang Galing Pinoy partylist Representative Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, was charged with tax evasion.
Congressman Mikey Arroyo and his wife, Angela, were accused of failing to file proper taxes based on the SALN they filed during his mother’s term.
BIR Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares announced Monday that she would also look into the SALN of Dato from 2007 to 2010.
The younger Congressman Arroyo claimed that these efforts were done outside of the regular mandate of the agency” as part of a concerted effort to again malign and harass him and his family.”
“I have no problem with the BIR letter to Batasan because I am not hiding anything. But that is not the issue,” he said.
“The issue is the seemingly very selective persecution of anyone associated with the previous administration – and the use of the government’s precious man hours and resources to this end – at a time when our country is suffering from the effects of the Middle East problems, the rising figures of self-rated hunger, the worsening unemployment, the rising cost of not only of gas but of all commodities,” he said.
The younger Arroyo pointed out that only he and his brother were named in the BIR letter to Congress which showed that it was a witch hunt directed against them. “If it is true that they are not picking on us, how come only the opposition are subjected to this? Why not do the same for those in the majority or the Cabinet members? If the government is really serious about this, then maybe they should examine not just the opposition but also their allies,” he said.
