BIR goes after 5 more suspected tax evaders

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed five new tax-evasion cases this week against an individual and four companies as part of its efforts to increase collections.

Filed before the justice department, the five criminal charges serve as a warning to all taxpayers to pay the government what it’s due, ahead of the deadline for filing income tax returns (ITR) on April 15.

This brings to 235 the number of tax-evasion cases filed by the Aquino administration.

The first two cases filed this week were against two freight companies—

First Orient’s liability for taxable year 2007 reached P10.84 million, inclusive of income tax and value added tax. Dreamline’s total liability for 2008 reached P2.54 million.

Cases were also filed against two Parañaque-based firms—Genesis Car Care and Service Station Inc., a fuel retailer, and FUN Party Inc., a party supply company. Genesis Car’s total tax liability for 2004 reached a total of P26.08 million, while FUN’s total liability for the year 2007 reached P23.45 million.

All four companies were accused of willful failure to pay taxes.

BIR records of investigation showed the four companies were served the corresponding letter notice, letters of authority, subpoena duces tecum, preliminary assessment notices, final assessment notices and formal letters of demand with details of discrepancies.

All “failed to protest said assessments, hence making the same final, executory, demandable and unappealable,” the BIR said.

Meanwhile, a certain Gaudencio de Guzman was also filed with the willful attempt to evade or defeat taxes and deliberate failure to supply correct and accurate information in his annual ITR for taxable years 2009, 2010 and 2011.

De Guzman is the sole proprietor of G. de Guzman Enterprises, which is engaged in the business of taxicab operations and freight forwarding services.