Atty. Victor Rodriguez, chief of staff and spokesperson of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Screengrab from PTV
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. does not owe anything to the government as his previous tax issues have been paid, his camp insisted Wednesday.
In a press briefing, Marcos Jr.’s lawyer and spokesperson Vic Rodriguez presented a certification from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that the presidential bet paid P67,137.27 in relation to his tax case.
The certification shows that the payments were made on December 27, 2001.
“In here, in this certification, malinaw po dito na binayaran, ‘yung due for 1982, ’83, ’84, and ’85. So wala pong pagkakautang si Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. na buwis, o tax deficiency, o penalty or interest,” Rodriguez said.
(In here, in this certification, it is clear that his dues for the years 1982, ’83, ’84, and ’85. This means Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos no longer owes any taxes, penalty, or interest.)
“It has been paid, we owe nothing to the government… Walang basehan to disqualify Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos. Uulitin ko po, Walang basehan to deny or not to give due course to his certificate of candidacy,” he added.
(There is no basis to disqualify Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos. I repeat, there is no basis to deny or not to give due course to his certificate of candidacy.)
Asked why they only released the certification now, Rodriguez said petitioners seeking to disqualify the candidacy are “fishing for evidence.”
“Purposely hindi namin pwedeng ipakita dahil naghahanap o fishing for evidence ‘yong mga petitioners na walang layuning gawin kundi guluhin at i-diskaril ‘yong maayos na kandidatura ni Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr,” Rodriguez said.
(We did not show it purposely because the petitioners who just want to distract the smooth candidacy of Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos are fishing for evidence.)
In its earlier answer-in-intervention, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Marcos Jr.’s political party, said the presidential aspirant “opted to just pay the fine plus interest and surcharges” amounting to P67,137.27.
However, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) that found him guilty of tax evasion in 1995 said there was no record in the court’s possession showing that Marcos Jr. had satisfied its order for him to settle his tax deficiencies and pay the appropriate fine as punishment.
READ: QC court certifies Bongbong Marcos didn’t pay tax dues, fines
Rodriguez was then asked about what could have been the reason why the Quezon City RTC does not have any records of Marcos Jr.’s settlement of his tax issues even as they maintained the former senator already had.
“I do not engage in speculations,” he replied.