Pacquiao says P2.2B tax case an old issue, baseless

Sen. Manny Pacquiao  (Photo by ALBERT CALVELO / Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday said the P2.2 billion-tax evasion case against him that President Rodrigo Duterte recently brought up is already an “old issue” and has “no basis.”

“Alamin niya na muna yung sitwasyon ng case na yun, dahil malinaw naman yun at matagal na yun na issue. Nasa Court of Tax Appeals na ‘yan. Inakyat nila sa Supreme Court dahil wala naman silang basehan. Wala naman silang basehan para magkautang ako ng ganyan,” Pacquiao said in an interview on dzBB.

(He should  get information on the status of that case, because it is an old issue.  It is with the Court pf TaxAppeals.  It was elevated to the Supreme Court, but they have no basis. They have no basis that I have such a tax liability.)

“May mga abogado naman ako na in-order ko na sasagot na diyan sa lahat ng details ng case,” he added.

(I have lawyers who will respond to and address the details of the case.)

The boxing champion’s tax case was recently raised by Duterte in one of his public addresses after the senator flagged government corruption under the current administration.

According to the President, he will “check” Pacquiao’s tax case but will not run after the lawmaker, although Duterte mentioned this while noting that those who “cheat” the government makes them “more corrupt.”

A combination photo of Senator Manny Pacquiao (left) and President Rodrigo Duterte (right). INQUIRER FILES

In 2018, Pacquiao already won a favorable ruling before the Court of Tax Appeals after it ordered the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to stop the collection of billions worth of tax against the senator and his wife Jinkee.

The tax assessment that was originally P2.26 billion increased to P3.29 billion due to surcharges and penalties.

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