Councilman and wife face tax evasion raps

Revenue officials have filed a tax evasion complaint before the Department of Justice against a councilman of barangay Sawang Calero and his wife who reportedly failed to pay taxes to the government amounting to P16 million for the year 2003 and 2004.

Councilman Reynaldo "Rene" Jose and his wife, Carolina B. Jose, residents of barangay Sawang Calero, would be asked to submit their counter-affidavits to answer the allegations that they failed to pay P11.9 million in income taxes and P4.1 million in value-added taxes for the two year period.

The FREEMAN yesterday contacted the Sawang Calero barangay hall and the residence of the couple, but they were not there.

Aida Simborio of the BIR-Central Office in Manila said the tax evasion complaint against the Jose couple was filed before the DOJ Thursday last week. Simborio said the filing of the complaint is to prove the government's seriousness in expanding the campaign against tax evaders in the provinces.

Verification with the BIR Integrated Tax System revealed that Carolina Jose only declared a gross revenue of P176,700 for the year 2003 and P203,100 for the succeeding year for her dormitory business under the trade name Sto. Niño Dormitory.

But when the BIR conducted a discreet investigation it was learned that the couple also engaged in another business activity as a lending investor and foreign exchange firm, which was not registered with the BIR. Such business was registered only with the City Hall in 1997 to 2001.

The revenue officers noted that a certain Purita Suarez claimed that she paid Carolina Jose the corresponding interest for her loan amounting to P20.9 million in 2003 and 2004, but the spouses did not declare it.

Reynaldo was charged for failing to file income taxes for the years 1997 to 2005, and for failing to register his business and pay the corresponding annual registration fees.

His wife, meanwhile, was charged with tax evasion and failure to supply correct and accurate information. - Rene U. Borromeo/QSB