Uncollected P1.56B taxes
By Mortz C.Ortigoza
URDANETA CITY – Despite the expose’ of a disgruntled former Examiner
that the Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue protects alleged big time
tax evader, the latter argued that her omission to collect P1.56 billion was
correct and dismissed tag as coddler of “Dunkin’Donuts”.
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| BIR Commissioner Kim Henares cuddles in this cartoon Ms Marixi Prieto, Secretary of Dunkin Donuts' franchise and Chairperson of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. |
“Tatlong reinvestigation na kami sinasabi mali po siya. Papaano mo
pipilitin ang isang mali sa isang taxpayer assuming natin na ma-assess ko iyan.
Gagawin ng taxpayer pupunta siya sa Court of Tax Appeal ku-kwestionin niya,”
stressed by Commissioner Kim Henares after the inauguration of the new revenue
district office here.
Othello Dalanon, the resigned BIR Examiner, cited he discovered in
his assessment that Golden Donuts, Inc.(GBI), the exclusive Philippine
franchisee of the global brand “Dunkin’ Donuts” was liable to pay P1.56 billion
after it did not protest the Formal Letter of Demand and Assessment Notice
(FAN) of the tax agency.
Dalanon personally reported GDI’s omission to Henares and recommended to
her criminal prosecution for tax evasion of GBI under the much vaunted “Run After Tax Evaders” program of the
Bureau; but she intentionally did not pursue the fraud case against the company
because its secretary – Marixi Prieto who is also the chairperson of the
Philippine Daily Inquirer – is President Aquino’s friend, according to Deputy
Commissioner Estela Sales.
The former Examiner cited the deficiency tax assessment done by the BIR obtained
finality because GDI failed to file a valid protest against the FAN.
Ms. Prieto, Dalanon added, talked to Henares and then BIR Regional and
the incumbent Assistant Commissioner Nestor Valeroso on different occasions who
both gave leniency to GDI.
Henares intentionally did not collect it, because representatives of GDI
complained to her that Dalanon’s assessment was faulty. She, according to
Dalanon, ordered two re-investigation.
Dalanon said however that there is no law that authorizes the
commissioner to order two re-investigation of a final, executory, and
demandable assessment.
Henares assailed Dalanon’s insistence, he reported in the mass media, for
her to collect the P1.56 billion.
“Siguro tinanong muna siya bakit
siya pursigidong ganito. Ano ba ang nawala sa kanya? So, ano ba ang para sa
akin?”
She said how could she insist to collect the sum when what she will be
doing is illegal.
