June 21st, 2023
House Ways and Means Chair Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd district), principal author of House Bill No. 8144, or the Anti-Tax Racketeering Act, which was approved by the House of Representatives on May 29, 2023, issued the following statement in response to the filing of cases by the Bureau of Internal Revenue against three companies, with an estimated tax liability of P18 billion due to the use of fake receipts to reduce tax dues.
“I commend Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. for his aggressive campaign to stamp out large-scale tax fraud. The BIR filed one of its largest tax liability cases with the Department of Justice today. It signals a commitment to run after big-time tax evaders.”
“Tax racketeering, which is systematic and involves conspiracy to defraud the government of tax dues, is punishable by not less than 17 years. Their accomplices are also punishable by 10 to 17 years in prison, and if they are public officials, they will also be disqualified from public office for life. That’s under our proposal.”
“The magnitude of these cases demonstrates that this is no longer mere tax evasion. This is economic sabotage and a systematic attempt to undermine the tax system of the country. Taxes are the lifeblood of the government, as jurisprudence establishes. Fraud of this scale seriously injures our ability to serve the needs of our people.”
“That is why the enactment of the Anti-Tax Racketeering Act could not come sooner. I appeal to my Senate counterparts to accelerate the enactment of this measure in support of the BIR’s efforts.”