Isko Moreno’s camp to PCGG: Is there a deal on unpaid P203B estate tax of Marcoses?

FILE PHOTO: Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The political party of presidential candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso is asking the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to shed light on claims of a deal regarding the P203 billion unpaid estate tax of the Marcos family.

Aksyon Demokratiko chair Ernest Ramel wrote PCGG chairman John Agbayani to verify the assertion of lawyer Vic Rodriguez, spokesman of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., that the PCGG and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) “have arrived at an agreement for the BIR to wait for the decision on the said case before any collection enforcement activities and to establish ownership of the subject properties with certainty to determine with accuracy the fair and just tax base to be used in computing estate taxes, if any.”

“As a taxpayer and a citizen of the Republic, I now ask you, the PCGG Chairman, if there is an iota of truth to the statement of Atty. Rodriguez,” Ramel said in his letter dated March 9. The copy of the letter was distributed to the media on Thursday.

“The question is very simple, answerable by ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Did the PCGG and BIR have an agreement regarding the P203-billion Marcos debt to the Filipino people?” he also asked.

If there was indeed an agreement, Ramel said Agbayani should disclose the details since the issue is a “matter of public interest.” Otherwise, Ramel added, “this is another proof that the camp of Marcos Jr. has again lied as they always do in so many issues about their family, including their ill-gotten wealth.”

It can be recalled that Ramel also wrote to BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay, inquiring if the taxman has sent a new written demand to the Marcos heirs regarding the P203 billion unpaid estate tax. In this letter, he pointed out that Marcos Sr.’s heirs – widow Imelda, only son Ferdinand Jr., and daughters Imee and Irene did not file the estate tax return nor did they pay any estate tax with the BIR as required by law.

READ: Isko party to BIR: Demand Marcos heirs to pay P203 billion owed to gov’t

Ramel even noted that if the government gets the P203 billion, Aksyon Demokratiko’s standard-bearer Moreno would use the money to fund cash assistance for poor Filipinos if he wins the presidential race via the May 9 election.

“The aggregate amount of P203.819 billion, which the Marcos heirs owe the Filipino people, is such a big amount that Mayor Isko, if elected president, promised to give the money as ‘ayuda’ to millions of our countrymen who lost their jobs during the pandemic,” he said.

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