PNoy says he's not singling out Arroyos

source: abs-cbn

President Aquino said his administration is not singling out the Arroyos when the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed a tax evasion complaint against Rep. Mikey Arroyo and his wife Angela.



This was Aquino’s response to the statements of the Arroyos that his administration is not treating them fairly.

Aquino said the BIR has been filing cases against those who have been remiss in paying taxes, same with the Bureau of Customs that has been running after smugglers.

Asked for comment about Mikey’s statements that this is just a form of harassment and a way to boost Aquino’s ratings, Aquino said there is only one issue: Mikey’s Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net worth (SALN) shows increasing wealth but there were no Income Tax Returns (ITRs) filed during the periods concerned.

“There is only one issue. The only issue is he earned income that can be clearly seen in the SAL that has been increasing. Kung meron kang income, may obligasyon kang magbayad nang buwis. Ikaw nagbabayad ka ng buwis. Ang akusasyon, hindi ka nag-file man lang. Iba pa ‘yung kulang ang binayad na buwis pero dito hindi nag-file ng income tax returns. So ulitin ko lang, marami pang sasabihin, simple lang naman: kung nagbayad ka ng buwis, ipakita mo ang income tax return mo tapos ang isyu,” President Aquino told reporters after inaugurating the Agno River Flood Forecasting and Warning System.

“I think the resolution is very easy. There were three years that he is accused of not filing, then he [should] just show his income tax return duly noted and received by the BIR then the issue is over,” Aquino added.

Aquino said his administration is not singling out the Arroyos, as alleged by now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

He said the filing of the tax evasion complaint is part of the Bureau of Internal Revenue's (BIR) effort to get taxpayers to pay the correct taxes, as well as fulfill his promise of "greater efficiency in tax collection."

It just so happens that there was evidence of tax evasion against Mikey based on his SALN, Aquino said. He added that the filing of the SALN is "joint," which is why even Angela Arroyo was included in the complaint.

“We are not singling them out.... So nagkataon umabot na po sa kanila. Tapos yung pruweba nahanap na rin. Ulitin ko lang ‘noh, marami pa hong pwedeng sabihin dito, ang issue: nag-file ng income tax ba o hindi? Para mapatunayang nag-file, ipakita lang ‘yung income tax return na tinanggap po naman ng gobyerno ,” Aquino said.

Tax evasion complaint

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed on Thursday a P73.85-million tax evasion complaint against the Ang Galing Pinoy party-list representative and his wife, Ma. Angela, at the Department of Justice.

It was the 37th filed under the revitalized Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program under the Aquino administration.

The complaint stems from Arroyo's non-filing of annual income tax returns (ITR) for taxable years 2005, 2008 and 2009, and Ma. Angela Arroyo's non-filing of ITRs from 2003 to 2009.

Basic tax due the couple amounts to P28,808,314.85; the rest of their liability corresponds to surcharges and interest.

source: abs-cbn