The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed a reply-affidavit related to the ongoing preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice of the tax liability of the tobacco giant, Mighty Corporation.
BIR stood its ground on the tax delinquency of the company and the liabilities of its officers – principally, that Mighty Corp violated the Internal Revenue Code by printing fake tax stamps.
An initial tax evasion complaint had been filed, to the tune of PhP9.56 billion.
A second tax evasion complaint was booked amounting to P26 billion in damages.
Among the persons implicated in the case was the company’s principal and corporate secretary Alexander Wongchuking; former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deputy chief of staff Edilberto Adan, the company president; its executive vice president, retired Malolos, Bulacan judge Oscar Barrientos; and company treasurer Ernesto Victa.
Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre had earlier moved to consolidate the two tax evasion complaints, but a formal order to carry this out has yet to be issued.
