Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 21) — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed tax evasion complaints against three companies who are behind fake or ghost receipts which have tax liabilities amounting to ₱17.9 billion.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui said they want to hold companies who buy ghost receipts accountable.He named World Balance, CHK Steel, and Gamon Resources – which the BIR proved to be buying fake receipts, adding the companies have been using fake receipts since 2018.Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. filed criminal cases against identified buyers or clients of the Fake/Ghost Receipts syndicate. The cases were filed today, before the Department of Justice (DOJ),” the BIR said in a statement. It explained the syndicate registers ghost companies whose sole business purpose is to sell original receipts so their buyers could illegally reduce their tax liabilities.
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The BIR said this is just the first batch of complaints they will be filing with the Department of Justice, and the bureau would continue to go after those buying and using fake receipts.
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At a separate briefing on Wednesday, DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano says they are awaiting the resolution on the cases.
“Malaking problema talaga ito. We cannot emphasize further how important these cases are to quell, or to stop itong mga practices na ito,” Clavano said. “The government needs to collect its taxes properly in order to function. Kumbaga, lifeline ito, life blood ito ng bansa itong mga taxes natin and yung revenue natin.”
[Translation: This really is a big problem. We cannot emphasize further how important these cases are to quell, or to stop these practices. The government needs to collect its taxes properly in order to function. These taxes and revenue are the lifeline, the life blood of the country.]
