111th BIR Anniversary RATE Program Celebration

Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares flashes a big smile as she reacts to a point raised by a member of tri-media after explaining the four (4) tax evasion cases filed by the BIR during the Regular Press Conference of the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) Program held last August 6 at the DOJ Main Building. Joining the Commissioner in the press conference were Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, DCIR Estela V. Sales and ACIR Claro B. Ortiz. ABS GEN HERBS INTERNATIONAL, together with its Chairman/President Paul R. Gupana, and Treasurer Grace G. Gupana, was charged before the DOJ with tax evasion carrying a civil liability covering taxable years 2009 to 2013 amounting to P 18.88 Million. A comparison of the income payments ABS GEN received from MERCURY DRUG CORPORATION and GETZ BROS PHILIPPINES, INC. with its VAT Returns (VATR) sales declarations with the BIR disclosed that the respondent corporation substantially under-declared its correct taxable sales by P 37.72 Million in 2009, P 11.82 Million in 2010, P 3.58 Million in 2011, P 4.08 Million in 2012 and P 5.11 Million in 2013. ABS GEN likewise failed to file its VATRs for the first three (3) quarters of taxable year 2009 and failed to declare its true and correct income in its VATRs for sixteen (16) quarters from 4th Quarter of 2009 to 4th Quarter of 2013, except the 3rd Quarter of taxable year 2011. BOME ENTERPRISES & CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION (BECC) and its responsible corporate officers - President Ernesto J. Pensotes and Treasurer Pamela G. Pensotes - were cited for tax evasion with a deficiency tax liability amounting to P 129.95 Million for taxable years 2010 to 2013 after investigators discovered that BECC declared an income in the aggregate amount of only P 25.88 Million for the four-year period when, in truth and in fact, it received a total income amounting to P 165.69 Million from the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Philippine National Police. Likewise charged were two (2) delinquent taxpayers - Teody R. Dela Cruz, sole proprietor-franchisee of JULIE’S BAKESHOP, and ENERGY FOOD AND DRINKS, INC. and its responsible corporate officers - President Jaime C. Chua and Senior Vice-President/Treasurer Renato C. Chua - for “Willful Failure to Pay Taxes” due to the government amounting to P 7.99 Million (taxable year 2005) and P 63.27 Million (2007), respectively. The filing of the four (4) cases brought to three hundred and eighty-four (384) the total number of cases already filed by the BIR under its RATE Program during the administration of Commissioner Henares. 111th BIR Anniversary RATE Program Celebration Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares, together with the Deputy Commissioners, leads revenuers in celebrating the 111th founding anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on August 3, 2015 at the BIR Covered Court with the theme, “Angat Pa, Pinas!” The celebration started with a Thanksgiving Mass officiated by His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle whose homily centered on “what we can do for others”. This was followed by the Anniversary Program, which was graced by the presence of Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima and His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III who delivered the Keynote Message. President Aquino recognized the BIR’s contributions in nation building citing the Bureau’s major accomplishments. In the afternoon, revenue officials and personnel in the BIR National Office paraded around the BIR Compound to start the BIR Sportsfest. Representatives from the five (5) functional groups in the National Office (OCIR, OG, LG, ISG and RMG) then proceeded to compete in four (4) sports events, namely: Running Relay Race, Water Baloon Toss, Pass the Item and Tug-of-War. The Operations Group, headed by DCIR Nelson M. Aspe, was declared by Commissioner Henares as the group with the biggest delegation. The 111th BIR anniversary celebration culminated with the Folk Dance Presentation held in the BIR Covered Court. Revenue officials and selected personnel from the five (5) functional groups in the National Office (OCIR, OG, LG, ISG and RMG) showcased their dancing prowess and delighted revenuers with their colorful costumes and intricate steps as they perform popular folk dances from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Office of the Commissioner was adjudged as the “Best Presentation” by Commissioner Henares.