THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) yesterday filed criminal complaints before the Department of Justice against several companies for failing to pay a total of P700 million in taxes.

In a statement, the agency said it had issued notices and demands to 17 companies but they refused to pay.

Sued were Ski Construction Group, Inc., which had the biggest unpaid tax of P467.2 million for 2007, and businessmen Felipe L. Gozon and Paolo R. Prieto of INQ7 Interactive Inc., with a total tax liability of P23.48 million in 2006.

Local BMW dealer Prestige Cars, Inc. was also sued for failing to pay P68.4 million of its tax liability for 2007.

Also sued were Cliref Enterprises, for failing to pay P41.664 million and Meteor Shower Trading Co. for its tax liability worth P37.5 million.

“The respondents’ failure and continued refusal to file or pay their long overdue deficiency taxes, despite repeated demands, constitute willful failure to file or pay the taxes due to the government,” the bureau said.

The other companies that were sued were A-Frances Healthy Pharma Marketing Inc. (P21.1 million), Iventures, Inc. (P18,9 million), Lucky Charm Pub & Restaurant Corp. (P11.8 million), Information Products Corp., (P9.6 million), Calcarries International Inc. (P9.1 million) and Ulunday Construction and Development Corp. (P6.9 million).

Also joining the list were JP Med Asian Pacific Inc., (P4.7 million), Underground Logic Inc., (P4.1 million), Tridem Asia Publishing, Inc. (P3.8 million), Eurobrokers International Inc., (P3.1 million), Hernando Auson as sole proprietor of Supreme Lumber and Hardware, (P3.1 million) and Integrated Dynamic Service Inc. (P2.3 million), the bureau said.

Mr. Gozon, former chairman of INQ7, “has yet to receive a copy of the complaint,” GMA Network, Inc. spokesperson Angela Javier Cruz said in a statement. “He is ready to answer whatever charges as soon as he receives it.”

She added that as ex-INQ7 chairman, “he only presided over the meetings of the board and had no involvement or participation in the operations of the company.”

Mr. Gozon resigned from INQ7 in 2017, she said. — BML

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