Payment of tax liabilities doesn’t save Marcos Jr. from disqualification cases – lawyer
Lawyer Howard Calleja. PHOTO by Katrina Hallare/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Whether or not presidential aspirant and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. paid his tax liabilities, he is still “perpetually” disqualified from running for public office, a convenor of the opposition coalition 1Sambayan explained Thursday.
“Ang sinabi po ng korte sa paglabag po ni Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. sa tax code, simple lang po, siya po ay magbayad ng tax na hindi pa niya binabayaran, number one. Number two, siya po ay magbayad ng penalty na ini-impose po dahil siya po ay nag-violate,” Lawyer Howie Calleja said on Teleradyo’s On the Spot.
(What the court said about Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s violation of the tax code is simple, that he pay the tax he hasn’t paid, number one. Number two, that he pay the penalty imposed because he committed the violation.)
On Wednesday, Marcos Jr.’s camp insisted that the presidential wannabe paid his tax and does not owe anything to the government – even showing a certification from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that he paid around P67,000 in relation to his tax case.
READ: Marcos Jr. paid tax, ‘we owe nothing to the government’ – spokesman
But the 1Sambayan convenor said that the document presented by Marcos Jr.’s camp is only the settlement of unpaid tax and not the second liability of paying the penalty, which should be settled with the regional trial court (RTC) that handed down the punishment.
“So, ganito po ‘yun: ‘Yung kanya pong pinakita ay BIR at hindi po RTC. So, kung ako po ay—I would give them the benefit of the doubt, hindi ko na po kukwestyunin kung tama ‘yung resibo or anything, bigay na natin sa kanila. Pero malinaw na hindi pa sila nagbabayad ng penalty sa paglabag sa batas ng taxation o ng pagbayad ng buwis o pag-file ng income tax return,” he expounded.
(It’s like this: The certification they showed is from the BIR and not the RTC. I would give them the benefit of the doubt, I will not question if the receipt is correct or anything, let’s give it to them. But it is clear that they have not settled yet the penalty for violating the law on taxation or the payment of tax or the filing of the income tax return.)
READ: QC court certifies Bongbong Marcos didn’t pay tax dues, fines
Calleja added that despite the payment of taxes, Marcos Jr. is still disqualified to hold any public office – either elective or appointive post – as a penalty.
“Ibig sabihin po, kahit po nagbayad, siya rin po ay (This means, even though they paid, he is) still perpetually disqualified for any public office whether elective or appointive, klarong-klaro po ‘yan (that is clear),” he pointed out.
“So, ‘yung pagbayad does not save them or allow them to run for public office or for the presidency dahil po, uulitin ko po, kahit na nagbayad ka, nandiyan pa rin po ‘yung penalty of perpetual disqualification,” Calleja continued.
(So, paying does not save them or allow them to run for public office or for the presidency because, I reiterate, even though you paid, the penalty of perpetual disqualification is still there.)
Calleja, who represents a group of detainees during the dictatorship of Marcos Jr.’s father and namesake, filed a petition to disqualify the former senator due to his conviction for tax evasion.
READ: Comelec serves summons for 3 cases filed vs Marcos Jr.’s presidential bid
Currently, six petitions opposing Marcos Jr.’s presidential bid and calling for his disqualification are pending before the Commission on Elections.
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