AMID criticisms and the latest move from the government to revoke its franchise, embattled media network ABS-CBN Corp. on Wednesday clarified that it has no unpaid taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) nor unpaid obligations to any bank.
In a statement, ABS-CBN said it had secured last year a tax clearance certificate from the Tax bureau, and that it has “no outstanding tax liability.”
ABS-CBN also said that it has been cited as one of the top 200 non-individual taxpayers in the country.
“We have no unpaid obligations to any bank or financial institution,” it added.
On Monday, Solicitor General Jose C. Calida filed a lawsuit accusing ABS-CBN of violating several laws, including one against foreign ownership in media.
The media network called the lawsuit “an effort to shut down ABS-CBN to the serious prejudice of millions of Filipinos who rely on the network for news, entertainment and public service.”
It said it complies with “all pertinent laws governing its franchise and has secured all necessary government and regulatory approvals for its business operations.” — Arjay L. Balinbin
