THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Friday filed separate tax evasion charges at the Department of Justice against two downtown Manila-based companies and their officials.

Charged with willful failure to pay taxes are Tutuban Center-based Foot Haven Shop and its proprietor Peter Que Garcia and Escolta-based Sea Dragon Shipping & Logistics Inc. and its president-CEO Marvin G. Gata.

In a press briefing, BIR Deputy Commissioner Marissa O. Cabreros said the respondents are are being sued for violating Section 255 of the Tax Code and failing to pay taxes for taxable year 2010.

A statement by the bureau also said that Mr. Garcia “is being sued for a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2010 amounting to PhP7,521,704.32, inclusive of increments, broken down into: Income Tax (IT) – PhP5,409,104.22; and Value-Added Tax (VAT) – PhP2,112,600.10.”

Sea Dragon, “(t)ogether with its responsible corporate officer,…(has) a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2010 amounting to PhP15,642,184.32, inclusive of increments, broken down into: Income Tax (IT) — PhP10,910,242.00; Value-Added Tax (VAT) — PhP4,021,234.81; Expanded Withholding Tax (EWT) — PhP682,496.92; and Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) — PhP28,210.59.”

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

“The aforementioned cases are the 132nd and 133rd filed under the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program of the BIR under the leadership of Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay,” the statement also said. — Dane Angelo M. Enerio

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