BIR says it demanded Marcos family to pay tax liabilities

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has sent a written demand to the family of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos regarding their tax liabilities amounting to P203.819 billion last year, an official said Wednesday.

In a letter provided by Aksyon Demokratiko, BIR commissioner Caesar Dulay said "BIR did send a written demand to the Marcos heirs on December 02, 2021 regarding their tax liabilities."

(Photo: Aksyon Demokratiko)

— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) March 16, 2022

Aksyon Demokratiko chairman Ernesto Ramel previously urged the BIR to renew demands for the Marcos family to pay the tax liabilities once every five years.

Dulay's response to Ramel came days after the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) denied claims made by the Marcos camp that the family's billions of tax liabilities are under discussion.

"Malinaw na ngayon (it is now clear)," Ramel said in a message to reporters.

"Mula sa 1997 Supreme Court ruling GR 120880, sa mga kasagutan ng PCGG at BIR sa aming liham sa usapin ng bayaring estate tax ni Marcos Jr. at ng kanyang pamilya... na ang kampo ni Marcos Jr. ay sinungaling, mahilig talagang gumawa ng istorya, at mag-imbento ng sarili nilang katotohanan," he added.

(From the 1997 Supreme Court ruling, the letters of the PCGG and the BIR regarding the estate tax of the Marcos family.... that the camp of Marcos are liars who want to invent stories and create their own reality.)

Ramel accused the Marcos camp of continuing to fool the Filipino public.

"Hindi direktang sasagot at alam naming iiwas lang si Marcos Jr. sa mga usaping ito. Pero hindi ninyo malilinlang ang bayan. Wala nang nagawa sa Ilocos Norte bilang gobernador ng siyam na taon at wala pang paggalang sa mga batas. Iyan ba ang dapat ihalal na pangulo?" he said.

(They will not directly answer and we know Marcos Jr. will just divert the issue but you will not fool the public. He was not able to do anything in the nine years  he was governor of Ilocos Norte and he does not respect the laws. Is that the person who should be elected as president?)

GMA News Online sought comment from the Marcos camp but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.

Last week, Marcos' spokesperson Victor Rodriguez said the PCGG has coordinated with the BIR regarding the Marcos family's unpaid debt.

Rodriguez said the pieces of property which were the subject of the tax case were still under litigation.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno, the presidential bet of Aksyon, previously vowed to retrieve the Marcoses’ estate tax debt, proposing to use the money for aid, if he wins the presidential race.—AOL, GMA News