BIR forms team to probe Bautista’s possible tax violations

Comelec chairman Andres Bautista. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ Grig C. Montegrande

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has formed a five-member team to investigate possible tax liability of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista.

At a press conference, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said that the BIR has already issued Revenue Special Order No. 706-2017 to investigate possible violations of the National Internal Revenue Code by Bautista following charges of hidden wealth worth about P1 billion.

Aguirre said the investigation would also cover Bautista’s estranged wife Patricia Paz and others where Bautista had previous transactions even prior to his stint at the Comelec.

READ: Wife says Comelec chief has unexplained wealth

Under BIR Special Order No. 706-2017, which was released to the media yesterday by the DOJ, Commissioner Caesar Dulay designated Regional Director Glen Geraldino of Revenue Region 8 (Makati) as head of the probe team with Regional Director Manuel Mapoy and Revenue District Officers Petronilo Fernando, Bethsheba Bautista and Isabel Paulino as members.

“In this regard, the Coordinator is hereby authorized to call on other Revenue Officers  for any assistance and to secure necessary and pertinent tax documents from any staff or office at the Bureau which may effectively help in the performance of the Team’s task,” stated in the BIR’s Special Order. The order was dated Aug. 14, 2017 and signed by BIR Chief Caesar R. Dulay.

Patricial accused her husband of having an asset worth almost P1-billion contrary to what he declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN), which was only P176.3 million.

Aside from the BIR, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) are also conducting separate investigations. JE