Pangilinan: BIR should show fairness, collect P203B Marcos estate tax ASAP

AS millions of dutiful Filipino taxpayers file their income tax returns before the April 18 deadline, vice-presidential candidate Senator Francis Pangilinan urged the government, particularly the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), to show fairness and collect the estimated P203-billion estate tax of the Marcoses.

"Gustong makita ng ating mga kababayan na patas ang gobyerno sa pangongolekta ng buwis na dapat bayaran," Pangilinan said.

"Sa mga manggagawa, awtomatiko ang kaltas ng buwis, hindi man lang natin mahawakan ng buo ang sweldo. Kailangan, sa utang na buwis ng mga Marcos, hindi pwedeng nag-uusad-pagong ang gobyerno," he added.

In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that the Marcos family must pay P23 billion in estate tax, which became final in March 1999 as the entry of judgment showed. The debt remains unpaid, the Department of Finance has said.

Pangilinan said there are no more contentious issues as to the need to pay because of the finality of the high tribunal's ruling.

He urged the BIR to tell the public the collectible amount as varying figures have been coming out. Reports have said that from the original unpaid taxes of P23 billion, the amount has ballooned to P203 billion due to penalties and interests through the years.

The vice presidential candidate stressed the BIR or any concerned agencies involved in the collection of the tax should be transparent in their dealings with the Marcoses and the steps they intend to take to demand payment.

"Ang hindi marunong magbayad sa pinag-kakautangan ay hindi makakarating sa inaasam kailanman," Pangilinan said.