Sunday, May 13, 2012

BIR-Luzon director would sue too Pacquiao

World's Boxing champ Pacquiao
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
CALASIAO – The regional director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue would also subpoena and consequently sue world boxing champ Manny Pacquaio in case he lives in the region.
Atty. Arnel Guballa, who handles four provinces of the Ilocos Region, said what BIR regional director Rozil Lozares of Region 11 has done in subpoenaing Pacquaio was a normal everyday procedure.
“Hindi mo pueding i-ignore ang process na iyan (You can not ignore that process),” he quipped.
He said he himself as of press time has just sent subpoenas to a number of taxpayers in the region.
“Kanina lang marami akong pinirmahan na subpoena (I just signed a lot of subpoenas),” he said.
He said the subpoenas were sanctioned by National Internal Revenue Code.
He the case against Pacquiao was anchored on Section 266 of the NIRC that says any person who, being duly summoned to appear to testify, or to appear and produce books of accounts, records, memoranda or other papers, or to furnish information as required under the pertinent provisions of this Code, neglects to appear or to produce such books of accounts, records, memoranda or other papers, or to furnish such information, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000) but not more than ten thousand pesos (P10,000) and suffer imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than two (2) years.
He said the case of Pacquiao was sensationalized by the media even if it is a normal day-to-day activity done by the tax office.
The agony of Pacquiao started when Lozares issued a subpoena duces tecum (or subpoena for production of evidence) last January directing the Sarangani lawmaker to present income-related documents, but Pacquiao supposedly failed to appear before the BIR court.
Because of the boxing champ’s failure to submit the necessary documents, Lozares filed criminal charges against Pacquiao for violating Section 266 of the National Internal Revenue Code.

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