Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said yesterday tobacco producer Mighty Corporation should pay in full the P3-billion compromise tax deal being offered by President Duterte if it wants the dismissal of the P9.5-billion tax evasion case.
“P3 Billion lang ang hinhinging compromise tax payment ni Duterte. But fully paid in one payment lang,” Aguirre said.
The secretary pointed out that the President wants the P3 billion paid in full since the P9.5 billion tax evasion complaint filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) before the Department of Justice (DoJ) might drag on for years in court.
“Kaya nga compromise. If no compromise, baka di na magamit ni Duterte kasi matagal ang kaso,” he explained.
Aguirre has already formed a panel of prosecutors who will conduct the preliminary investigation over the P9.5 billion tax evasion complaint filed by the BIR.
The panel is composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Sebastian Caponong Jr. who sits as the chairman and Assistant State Prosecutors Ma. Lourdes Uy and Mary Ann Parong.
Last March 22, the BIR filed a complaint against Mighty Corp. for unlawful possession of articles subject to excise tax without payment and for possessing false, counterfeit, restored or altered stamps in violation of Sections 263 and 265(c) of the National Revenue Code of 1997.
Those named respondents in the complaint also include executives of Mighty Corporation – its president, retired Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan; executive vice-president, retired judge Oscar Barrientos; vice-president for external affairs and assistant corporate secretary Alexander Wongchuking; and treasurer Ernesto Victa.
Authorities learned that the tobacco manufacturer had been using fake excise tax stamps.
The fake tax stamps were found during the on-the-spot surveillance operations conducted by the BIR regional investigation division in four warehouses at San Simon Industrial Park, San Isidro, Pampanga. (JEFFREY G. DAMICOG)