Mighty welcomes inclusion of Philip Morris, other players in BIR probe

Mighty Corp., the country’s oldest and Filipino-owned cigarette manufacturer, welcomed as fair and laudable the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) order to expand its fake stamps investigation to cover all industry players, including market leader Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp.

In a statement, retired judge Oscar P. Barrientos, Mighty vice president and spokesperson, said Mighty had no problems with neither the BIR nor the Bureau of Customs in their probe because its operation has always been transparent and in accordance with laws.

Mighty has dismissed allegations that it was using fake strip stamps, claiming that the BIR was closely monitoring production and withdrawal at its only factory in Bulacan, the first one to install CCTV cameras to monitor its operations in compliance with BIR regulations.

“It is unfair to single out Mighty. We should also investigate others to get to the bottom of the problem and determine where the counterfeits are coming,” BIR Deputy Commissioner for Legal Service Jesus Clint Aranas said.

Aranas said the BIR was expanding its probe to cover all cigarette manufacturers and importers.

“It is not only here that Philip Morris is being investigated for fraud,” Barrientos said, adding that in Thailand and South Korea it is also being probed for multimillion dollar fraud and tax evasion cases, respectively.