Iloilo City mayoral bet arrested for tax evasion

ILOILO CITY—Police arrested a mayoral candidate of Iloilo City for alleged tax evasion cases during a political caucus here Wednesday evening.

Seven operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Intelligence Group based in Camp Crame supported by locally-based policemen served three arrest warrants against businessman Rommel Ynion around 10:30 p.m. in Barangay (village) Bitoon in Jaro District where a political caucus was being held.

Ynion’s spokesman, Manuel Mejorada, said they would post bail for the businessman’s temporary release Thursday morning.

Ynion, mayoral candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance who is running against re-electionist Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog of the Liberal Party, agreed to go with the policemen following a brief standoff after his supporters cordoned him.

Police had intended to bring Ynion to the PNP regional headquarters in Camp Martin Delgado but the businessman was taken to the St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo where he was confined after his blood pressure rose. He was accompanied by his supporters, fellow candidates and the arresting policemen.

Senior Superintendent Benjamin Elanzano, team leader of the arresting team, told reporters that they were ordered to serve the arrest warrants issued by Judge Roman Del Rosario, presiding judge of the Court of Tax Appeals.

The arrest warrants carried a bailbond of P20,000 each.

Ynion is facing 19 counts of violation of Republic Act No. 8424 or the Tax Reform Act of 1997.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed a P46.5-million case against Ynion for alleged failure to supply correct and accurate information on his income tax returns (ITRs) for fiscal years 2006, 2008 and 2010 and in his Value Added Tax (VAT) Return for the 4th quarter of 2010.

He also allegedly failed to file VAT returns for 2006 to 2009 and 1st to 3rd quarter of 2010.

In an interview, Ynion said the case was “nothing but political harassment.”

“All businessmen have problems with the BIR. If there is any deficiency, that can be resolved. It‘s not murder or car-napping. It’s a problem with documentation.”

Ynion also claimed that he was not given due process to refute and address any deficiency.