Not even the president will be spared from the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s tax collection efforts.
Incoming Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) chief Lilia Guillermo intends to ask President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to serve as a “role model” when it comes to paying taxes.
Guillermo made the comment in an interview over ANC’s Headstart program while discussing the estate tax case involving the Marcoses.
“Kung saka-sakali I have to collect or BIR has to collect, sasabihin ko this amount and this amount ay di naman po talaga kayo ang magbabayad, it’s the estate. Puwede ho ba maging role model kayo?” she said during the television interview.
But for now, Guillermo wants to see the agency’s documents related to the Marcos estate. She plans to get the “correct data” to know the decision before raising the matter with Marcos.
Afterwards, the next BIR chief said she and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Benjamin Diokno could explain the matter to the incoming president.
Back in April, Senator Imee Marcos admitted that the tax issue has left her family dazed and confused but assured that they won’t run away from liability if there is any.
Imee Marcos on ‘dizzying’ estate tax issue: ‘Kung may utang sa gobyerno, kailangan bayaran’
Marcos however suspected the revival of the estate tax case was part of the political mudslinging during the campaign.
The BIR earlier sent a written notice to the Marcos family to settle their tax obligations amounting P203 billion. The Marcos camp however argued that the tax cases were still pending in court.
President Duterte has already asked why BIR has not yet collected the estate tax despite its mandate.
Former First Lady Imelda Marcos and his son Bongbong are known co-administrators of the estate left by late president Ferdinand Marcos.
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