Tulfo slams BIR for targeting vloggers and online sellers instead of bigtime oil smugglers

Senator Idol Raffy Tulfo has slammed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) following complaints from a vlogger and an online seller that some agents from the agency visited their homes and knocked on their doors to inquire about their tax payments.

Tulfo stressed that if the government really wants to collect serious money through taxation, its focus should be on the big fish, like bigtime oil smugglers, and not on some small fry.

"Bakit di nila unahing habulin ang mga bigtime oil smugglers na limpak-limpak na pera ang pwede nilang makolekta kumpara sa mga vloggers at individual online sellers na alam naman nilang barya-barya lamang ang makokolekta nila?" he asked.

While he acknowledges that Filipinos who are earning should pay the corresponding taxes as stated by the law, Tulfo maintained that "the government must know their priorities if their intention is to maximize state revenue through taxation."

Tulfo, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy, pointed out that billions of pesos annually could have been collected if only the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is properly doing its job in preventing oil smuggling.

It can be noted that the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law mandates fuel marking in order to reduce oil smuggling in the country wherein imported fuel is marked by the government using a special ink that signified payments of correct tax dues.

To help prevent oil smuggling and ensure that marker is added to the fuel accurately, the government entered into a contract with Switzerland-based inspection services provider Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS).

Tulfo, however, expressed doubts over the technology provider considering that that oil smuggling continues to run rampant despite its existence.

"Justifiable ba yang contract kung laganap pa din ang oil smuggling sa bansa? The government should consider developing the same technology and training our people to properly operate it para makatipid tayo," he suggested.

On the marking scheme, Tulfo lamented: "Kahit mayroon ng marking scheme, marami pa ring mga nakakalusot at nai-smuggle na oil dahil may mga times na hndi nilalagyan ng oil marking itong mga barge from bigtime oil companies o di kaya ay hindi dine-declare lahat. Halimbawa, 1 out of 100 drums lang ang ide-declare at yung isa lamang ang malalagyan ng marking."

"Isa pang rampant ay itong tinatawag na 'Paihi' kung saan doon pa lamang sa laot ay tina-transfer na yung mga oil sa barko papunta sa mga barge at dine-deliver sa oil depot," he added.

The Senator from Isabela said this reality should prompt BIR, as well as BOC, to prioritize going after the mastermind of oil smuggling instead of targeting vloggers and online sellers with small earnings.

"Bakit hindi na lang bisitahin ng mga taga BIR o BOC ang mga bahay at katukin ang mga pinto ng mga bigtime oil smugglers? Baka naman hindi nila ito kayang gawin dahil itong mga oil smugglers ang mismong kumakatok sa kanilang pinto every month to pay under the table," he said.

In the coming weeks, Tulfo said he will file a resolution, in aid of legislation, to address the issue head on and find out the people or groups behind oil smuggling. (30)

Idol Raffy, kinwestyon ang pag-target ng BIR sa vloggers at online sellers

Binatikos ni Senator Idol Raffy Tulfo ang Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) matapos siyang makatanggap ng reklamo mula sa isang vlogger at isang online seller na binisita umano sila sa kanilang mga tahanan ng mga tiga-BIR para magtanong tungkol sa kanilang buwis.

Binigyang-diin ni Idol na kung talagang gusto ng gobyerno na makakolekta ng sapat na pera mula sa buwis ng taumbayan, dapat nitong pagtuunan ng pansin ang mga big fish, tulad ng bigtime oil smugglers

"Bakit di nila unahing habulin ang mga bigtime oil smugglers na limpak-limpak na pera ang pwede nilang makolekta kumpara sa mga vloggers at individual online sellers na alam naman nilang barya-barya lamang ang makokolekta nila?" tanong ng Senador.

Bagama't naniniwala siya na dapat magbayad ng kaukulang buwis ang mga Pilipino, sinabi ni Sen. Idol na dapat malaman ng gobyerno ang kanilang mga prayoridad kung gusto nilang i-maximize ang kita ng estado sa pamamagitan ng pagbubuwis.

Ipinunto ni Tulfo, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Energy, na bilyon-bilyong piso taun-taon ang maaaring makolekta kung maayos lamang na ginagawa ng Bureau of Customs (BOC) ang kanilang tungkulin na labanan ang oil smuggling.

Upang labanan ang oil smuggling, pumasok ang gobyerno sa anim na taong kontrata sa Switzerland-based inspection services provider na Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS).

Duda si Tulfo kung epektibo nga ba ang ganitong teknolohiya dahil hindi naman nito napigilan ang oil smuggling.

"Justifiable ba yang contract kung laganap pa din ang oil smuggling sa bansa? The government should consider developing the same technology and training our people to properly operate it para makatipid tayo," he suggested.

Sa kasulukuyang oil marking scheme naman, saad ni Tulfo: "Kahit mayroon ng marking scheme, marami pa ring mga nakakalusot at nai-smuggle na oil dahil may mga times na hindi nilalagyan ng oil marking itong mga barge from bigtime oil companies o di kaya ay hindi dine-declare lahat. Halimbawa, 1 out of 100 drums lang ang ide-declare at yung isa lamang ang malalagyan ng marking.

"Isa pang rampant ay itong tinatawag na 'Paihi' kung saan doon pa lamang sa laot ay tina-transfer na yung mga oil sa barko papunta sa mga barge at dine-deliver sa oil depot," he added.

Sinabi ng Senador ang isyu ay dapat magtulak BIR at BOC na unahin ang paghabol sa mastermind ng oil smuggling sa halip na puntiryahin ang mga vlogger at online sellers na maliit ang kita.

"Bakit hindi na lang bisitahin ng mga taga BIR o BOC ang mga bahay at katukin ang mga pinto ng mga bigtime oil smugglers? Baka naman hindi nila ito kayang gawin dahil itong mga oil smugglers ang mismong kumakatok sa kanilang pinto every month to pay under the table," aniya Tulfo.

Sa mga darating na linggo, sinabi ni Tulfo na maghahain siya ng Resolusyon para imbestigahan ang isyu.