BIR: 8 LICENSED POGOs ‘DI NAGBABAYAD NG FEES

WALO sa 11 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) na kasalukuyang may permit mula sa Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) ang ayaw magbayad ng licensing fees, ayon sa isang opisyal ng Bureau of Internal Re­venue (BIR).

Sinabi ni Arnel Guballa, deputy commissioner ng BIR, na sa 11 kasalukuyang  internet gambling licenses, tatlong POGO firms lamang ang nagbabayad ng 5 percent Philippine franchise tax.

“Their (POGOs) assertion is that, ‘We are offshore, we are outside the Philippine jurisdiction,’ but the contention of BIR is, ‘Since you registered with PAGCOR, then you are under Philippine law,'” wika ni Guballa.

“It was the Office of the Solicitor General that said that ‘foreign-based operators are not liable to 5 percent (franchise tax),” pahayag naman ni Dave Fermin Sevilla, chairman ng Anti-Money Laundering Supervision and Enforcement Department ng Pagcor.

Ayon kay Guballa, noong 2019 ay nakakolek­ta ang BIR ng P6.4 billion na buwis mula sa  POGOs. Aniya, 13 percent ito ng P50 billion na inaasahan ng pamahalaan na makokolek­ta mula sa Chinese-run gambling firms.