MANILA, Philippines ? Navotas Congressman Toby Tiangco said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has denied his fellow congressman, Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, due process in relation to the boxer?s tax case.
Tiangco has filed House Resolution No. 2309, denouncing in the strongest terms the agency?s alleged failure to observe due process in the case filed against Pacquiao.
The Navotas lawmaker noted that “the service of the subpoena duces tecum as well as the letter of authority by the BIR failed to comply with its own revenue memorandum order prescribing the procedure for a valid service of subpoena.”
“I am sure that if Cong. Pacquiao had been duly informed of the BIR’s request for documents he would have immediately complied,” said Tiangco in a statement.
He said he is surprised that the BIR has allegedly bungled its job in its tax case against Pacquiao, who is a respected member of the Philippine Congress.
“The taxpayer in this case is a member of the House of Representatives and a respected icon not only in the Philippines but all over the world, and yet he is being deprived of due process and subjected to harassment tactics by the BIR? Perhaps a closer look at the procedures of the BIR is needed to determine if an amendment of the Tax Code is necessary to institutionalize the same,” said Tiangco.
The (BIR has filed charges against Pacquiao for allegedly violating the National Internal Revenue Code.
This, after Pacquiao reportedly snubbed the BIR?s summons to present his tax records to the agency.
The boxing icon felt harassed by the charges.
“Sa tingin ko ay may harassment na nangyayari. Hindi ko naman tatalikuran ang taxes ko,” Pacquiao said in an interview with Korina Sanchez on DZMM.
“Obligasyon ko ‘yun, na magbayad ng taxes. Bakit naman mandadaya sa gobyerno at tatalikuran ko ‘yan?,” he added.
