Couple welcomes tax evasion raps, claims BIR was unfair

Sawang Calero barangay councilman Reynaldo Jose and his wife, Carolina, yesterday welcomed the tax evasion charges filed against them by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. They however accused the BIR investigators of being unfair, claiming they were not given the chance to answer the complaint filed against them.

The Manila-based BIR officials filed tax evasion charges against the couple before the Department of Justice for their alleged failure to pay taxes to the government amounting to P16 million for the year 2003 and 2004.

"Amo kining tubagon sa tukmang panahon kun makadawat kami sa kopya sa kiha," Reynaldo Jose said in a one-page letter that he sent to Banat News, a sister publication of The FREEMAN, which also carried the news item about the filing of charges against them.

Carolina personally visited The FREEMAN yesterday and claimed that the BIR investigators did not give them a chance to answer the allegation.

But Cresencia Zafico, head of the BIR special investigation section in Cebu, said they gave the Joses enough time to answer the complaint. Zafico said the investigators were left with no choice but to resolve the case based on the evidence they have on record because of the couple's failure to answer the complaint.

"Wala man mi nila pahataga og counter-affidavits, ila ra man mi nga gipaadto sa BIR ug gipangutana," Carolina said.

Verification with the BIR Integrated Tax System revealed that Carolina declared only 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 business activities as lending investor and foreign exchange dealer not registered with the BIR. Such business was registered only with the City Hall in 1997 to 2001. - Rene U. Borromeo