DOF, BIR told to comment on accountants’ plea to be included in TRO on fee disclosure

SCREENGRAB from www.asapp.org.ph

MANILA, Philippines—Unlike the doctors and lawyers, the accountants was not included in the restraining order issued by the high court against implementation of new policy requiring professionals from disclosing their fees to tax authorities.

During Tuesday’s en banc, the high court instead ordered the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Internal Revenue to comment on the petition filed by members of the Association of Small Accounting Practitioners in the Philippines within 10 days.

The petition filed by the accountants has been consolidated with similar petitions filed by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Philippine College of Physicians and the Philippine Medical Association.

Both the Philippine College of Physicians, PMA and the IBP filed separate petition saying that Revenue Regulation 4-2014 titled “Guidelines and Policies for the Monitoring of Services Fees of Professionals” is unconstitutional.

RR 4-2014, dated March 3, requires all self-employed professionals to submit an “affidavit indicating the rates, manner of billings, and the factors they consider in determining their service fees upon registration and every year thereafter on or before Jan. 31.”

They were also required to submit their books of accounts and official appointment books, containing the names of their clients and the dates and time of the meetings.

Even in pro bono cases when no fee is charged, RR 4-2014 also requires lawyers to issue a BIR-registered receipt showing that a 100 per cent discount was given.

The high court issued a restraining order against the implementation of the said BIR regulation in favour of doctors and lawyers.

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