Tax evasion case vs Arroyo couple junked

A Quezon City court has dismissed the tax evasion case filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) against former presidential son Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and his wife Angela.

In a decision released last week, Judge Editha Mina-Aguba of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 100 granted the demurrer to evidence filed by the couple and ruled that there was no fraud in the case.

“The court is persuaded that evidence is inadequate to sustain a conviction against accused for the acts complained of,” the order read.

In 2011, the BIR filed a tax evasion complaint against Arroyo, then representative of Ang Galing Pinoy party-list, and his wife.

The BIR alleged that Arroyo did not file his income tax returns during the years he had served as representative of Pampanga’s second district, particularly in 2005, 2008 and 2009.

It required the Arroyos to pay P73.85 million in tax liabilities.

The court, however, maintained that the basis for the computation of the tax liabilities was not accurate and cannot be trusted. —Jhesset O. Eñano