(Isinampa ng BIR sa DOJ)P25.5-B TAX CASES VS ‘GHOST’ CORPORATIONS

SINAMPAHAN ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ng criminal complaints sa Department of Justice (DOJ) ang apat na “ghost” corporations na nagbebenta ng fictitious sales invoices at receipts, na tinatayang may kabuuang tax liability na P25.5 billion.

“We are just getting started. The financial magnitude of this syndicate issuing fictitious receipts is alarming,” wika ni BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr.

“They are profiting from businesses through convincing their clients to ghost our tax authority. I have set my marching orders to the BIR Legal Group to file criminal charges against the individuals behind these companies.”

Noong Disyembre ay pinangunahan ni Lumagui ang pagsalakay sa isang condominium sa Quezon City na nagresulta sa pagkakalumpiska ng pekeng receipts, invoices, at iba pang business documents na inisyu sa iba’t ibang indibidwal at kompanya sa buong bansa.

Kinilala ng BIR ang ilan sa recipients bilang “cannot be located taxpayers.”

“Samakatuwid, ang buwis na dapat napupunta sa gobyerno ay ibinubulsa nitong mga gumagawa ng pekeng resibo,” paliwanag ni Lumagui.

“As a result of these companies’ fraudulent tax schemes, the government is losing an estimated total deficiency income tax amounting to ₱17.63 billion and total deficiency value added tax amounting to ₱7.91 billion, for taxable years 2019-2021, inclusive of surcharges and interests,” ayon sa BIR.

Lumitaw sa imbestigasyon na ang mga ‘ghost’ corporation ay walang lehitimong negosyo, ngunit umiiral para magbenta ng mga pekeng resibo.

Sinabi ni Lumagui na iimbestigahan dim ang buyers ng mga pekeng dokumento.

“We have a list of both buyers and sellers of these fictitious receipts. Our main goal here is to put these fraudulent activities into a halt with the high hopes of increasing voluntary tax compliance,” dagdag pa niya.