Lina on boxer belt: Tax computation necessary before getting exemption

While saying that awards granted to athletes were tax-exempt, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Alberto Lina said the boxer who complained of having to pay taxes to get her championship belt through customs should have secured approval from the Department of Finance first as part of protocol.

“’Yan po talaga ay exempt. Ang kailangan po lamang hihingi po sila ng approval sa Department of Finance. ’Yan po ang nakasaad sa ating regulasyon,” Lina said over ABS-CBN News Channel.

In a viral Facebook post, a disappointed Jujeath Nagaowa said she was told to pay P5,819 in taxes to get her belt.

Nagaowa said BOC’s computation showed that her belt, which she got after winning the international light flyweight title of the Women’s International Boxing Association against Chinese fighter Lou Yu Jie last June, had a dutiable value of P20,147.77. The customs duty was P3,027.13 while the value-added tax was P2,782.

READ: Boxer ‘hurt’ after Customs imposes P6K tax on championship belt

But Lina said the computation of duties and taxes was necessary before getting an exemption.

“Kokompyutin po ‘yan, protocol po namin ‘yan eh na para malaman kung ano ‘yung i-e-exempt natin. Kasi po pagka-compute po niyan, ang talaga pong rule eh pupunta kayo sa Department of Finance para bigyan po kayo ng exemption,” he reiterated. “Since nandun na siya, dala niya, minsan ina-accommodate na po ‘yan ng mga kasama natin doon, ‘yan po ang reality.”

Lina said customs personnel asked for Nagaowa’s official receipt to verify whether she had already paid the required amount.

“Tax free po ‘yan kapag po mga awards. Sa nalalaman ko, ang nangyari po yata diyan, nangyari po iyan sa post office, ang nakita lang po namin eh ‘yung computation ng duties and taxes, hindi po namin nakikita ‘yung official receipt,” Lina said.

“’Yun pa lang po ang data na nasa amin. Ngayon ang hinahanap po namin ay ‘yung official receipt kung nagbayad na po talaga,” he added.

Lina said Nagaowa could refund the amount she paid if she secured approval from the Department of Finance.

“Halimbawa binayaran niya, supposing, kasi nagmamadali siya, ang tanong can he or she refund. Kumuha lang siya sa Department of Finance ng exemption, ire-refund namin. Para fair,” he said.

Nagaowa defeated Lou in a 10-round fight held at Forum de Macau via unanimous decision.

She has a record of 13 wins, 15 losses, and one draw with eight knockouts. YG/RC