BIR Laws Harsher than LTO Laws

 JAIL TIME LOOMS

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO, Pangasinan – A top honcho of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said that violation of the tax laws committed by an errant taxpayer is harsher than those with the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

“Ganoon pero sa amin may kaso pa puweding pang makulong. Hindi lang iyon, di ba? Magbabayad ka ng tax puwede ka pa rin makulong kasi kakasuhan ka,” Revenue District Office No. 4 Chief Aldrin A. Camba disclosed to this writer when told that driving without license cost the driver of the vehicle a P10,000 fine meted by the transportation agency.

Photo is internet grabbed.

Camba cited that the BIR laws are bolder unlike with the LTO’s where it only would not renew the driver’s license if violator could not pay the fine by driving without license.

 Aileen Peteros, the head of the Land Transportation Office – San Carlos City Branch, told Northern Watch Newspaper that driving without license metes the violator a P3,000 fine only.

“Another P10,000 if the vehicle (truck, car, motorcycle or other) is unregistered and P2,000 for the accessory penalty in case the driver was found to be reckless,” she said.

LTO FINES

The other violations and their fines and penalties imposed by the LTO:

Reckless Driving (Fines: ₱2,000 To ₱10,000) (Penalties: A 6-Month License Suspension or Revocation); Driving Under the Influence of Drugs and Alcohol (Fines: ₱ 20,000 To ₱ 500,000 Penalties: Jail time of Reclusion Temporal); Not Wearing Helmets for Motorcycle Riders (Fines: ₱ 1,500 To ₱ 10,000); Vehicle Registration Violations (Fine: ₱ 5,000); Obstruction (Fine: ₱1,000);  Number Plate Not Firmly Attached  (Fine: ₱5,000); LTO Sticker Violation (Fine: ₱5,000); Tampering with License Plates (Fine: ₱5,000); Illegal Transfer or Use of Regularly Issued Motor Vehicle Plates, Tags, or Stickers (Fine: ₱ 10,000 To ₱ 12,000); Driving with Illegal, Damaged, or Substandard Parts and Accessories (Fine: ₱ 5,000 and Impoundment); Smoke Belching (Fines: ₱ 2,000 To ₱ 6,000); Other LTO Violations (₱ 1,000 To ₱ 2,000).

BIR PENALTIES AND JAIL TIME

Aside from the 25% penalty and the 20% tax interest per year, any person required under the National Internal Revenue Code or by rules and regulations promulgated there to pay any tax make a return, keep any record, or supply correct the accurate information, who willfully fails to pay such tax, make such return, keep such record, or supply correct and accurate information, or withhold or remit taxes withheld, or refund excess taxes withheld on compensation, at the time or times required by law or rules and regulations shall, in addition to other penalties provided by law, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (P 10,000) and suffer imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than ten (10) years in jail.

FAKE AND SMUGGLED CIGGIES

Meanwhile, Camba exhorted the taxpayers and the concerned government agencies that a cigarette pack without a documentary tax is either fake or smuggled.

One pack of a cigarette has an excise tax’s stamp of P60.

“Yes iyon na iyong Sin Tax kaya nga kung may magbebenta ng mura mga P50, P60 or P70 ibig sabihin walang tax iyon. Tax ng per pakete is P60 di ba kaya ang sigarilyo P100, P120, P150”.

He said violators are sued by the tax office through Run Against Tax Evader (RATE). RATE has a fine of not less than ₱500,000 but not more than ₱10 million and penalty of six years but not more than ten years 

“So aside doon meron diyan iyong mga fake receipts. So far dito sa atin mukhang wala pa iyan. Iyong mga ghost receipts gumagamit ng (inaudible). Mahirap makipag deal sa BIR kaysa sa LTO”.