BIR shuts down Panglao, Bohol resort
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) closed Bohol Hennan Resort Inc, a prime resort in Panglao Island, Bohol, on Tuesday in time of the opening of Bohol Panglao International Airport. Leo Udtohan / Inquirer Visayas
PANGLAO, Bohol – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has closed down a high-end beach resort here for under-declaring its income.
Eduard Pagulayan, BIR director for Central Visayas, said the 400-room Bohol Hennan Resort (BHR) on Alona Beach in Panglao failed to declare its total income.
The closure of Hennan on Tuesday coincided with the visit of President Duterte for the formal opening of Bohol Panglao International Airport.
“Their (Bohol Hennan Resort Inc) gross receipt is under-declared by more than 30 percent. That’s the violation,” said Pagulayan.
He didn’t say how much Hennan owed the government except that the amount was “substantial.”
Hennan is the first hotel in Bohol that has been shut down by BIR since the agency started implementing Oplan Kandado, according to Pagulayan.
Alan Siu, legal counsel of BHR, said it was just a minor violation.
He said they would comply with the requirements of BIR so they could resume operations.
“Hennan has been extending its full cooperation to BIR. After we complied with everything, we will continue our operation,” said Siu.
The agency’s surveillance on Hennan began last September, soon after they noticed discrepancies in the resort’s tax declaration.
The BIR sent a 48-hour notice of violation and notice of compliance to Hennan but the hotel management didn’t send any reply, prompting the agency to order the closure.
“This is a strong message that they should pay their taxes religiously,” said Pagulayan.
“Sana tumulong sa ating gobyierno dahil kailangan natin ng maraming pondo sa Build, Build, Build ng ating Pangulo kaya kailangan magbayad ng taming buwis (They should help our government since we need a lot of funds for the Build, Build, Build program of our President. That is why it is necessary that they pay proper taxes),” he added.
