DOJ’s Caguioa vows to speed up settlement of tax-related cases

MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Justice Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa on Thursday vowed to work more closely with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to speed up the disposition of tax-related cases the agency forwards to the justice department.

In a press briefing with BIR Commissioner Kim Henares, Caguioa said there remains 282 cases pending at the DOJ out of the 398 the BIR filed at the department since 2010.

There are meanwhile 72 cases that “have already been filed or [are] ready for filing,” while 44 have either been dismissed or “subject for further requirements.”

“This ongoing joint effort between the DOJ and the BIR will continue. Kim, who was my classmate, has asked to give a little more focus on their concerns. And of course as public servants, we will do that,” said Caguioa in a press briefing, his first since he assumed his post as Secretary on Wednesday.

Henares said she understood the work load that the DOJ has to contend with, but asked that BIR cases should be at least be resolved.

READ: Caguioa starts ‘learning the ropes’ on first day at DOJ

“No. Nobody is ever satisfied. For me, we don’t file weak cases. That’s why we’re not satisfied,” said Henares, when asked if she was satisfied with how the DOJ has handled BIR cases.

“Always, you bat for 100 percent, but life is you cannot get 100 percent. But we have to have a resolution on things. And when there’s a resolution, it has to be filed (in court).  Because there are some cases that have been resolved for filing but takes a long time to be filed in court,” Henares said.

Since 2010, the BIR has actively pursued cases against tax evaders and other violators of the National Internal Revenue Code.

Yesterday, the bureau filed a batch of seven new cases against firms and individuals who had evaded or attempted to evade tax payments. CDG