Bangladesh Ambassador to the Philippines John Gomes (2nd left) talks to Senator Teofisto Guingona III on Tuesday during the Senate hearing on the $81-million money laundering heist. Hackers transferred the amount last February from the Bangladesh central bank to the RCBC Jupiter branch in Makati, after which it was laundered in casinos.(MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Bureau of Internal Revenue sued PhilRem Service Corp. and its husband-and-wife owners before the Department of Justice on Thursday for evading taxes worth P35.61 million.
It was PhilRem which became the conduit in moving the $81 million from the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. branch on Jupiter Street in Makati City to the casinos – where the stolen money was supposedly laundered – and other benefactors that included junket operators.
PhilRem president Salud Bautista and treasurer Michael Bautista were slapped with complaints for alleged willful attempt to evade payment of gross receipts tax (GRT), deliberate failure to file percentage tax returns (PTR), and unlawful pursuit of business from 2005 to 2014.
According to the BIR, PhilRem misrepresented itself when it continued to operate as a remittance firm even if it was registered as a land transport company in 2005.
The complaint said PhilRem amended its nature of business with the Securities and Exchange Commission without updating its registration with the BIR.
As a non-banking financial institution, PhilRem should have remitted 5 percent gross receipts tax instead of value added tax to the government, according to the BIR.
“The gross failure of PhilRem to register, declare and pay the GRT showed a clear intent and purpose on its part to evade the payment of the correct amount of taxes. Further, its failure to update its registration with the BIR made it liable for unlawful pursuit of business.
PhilRem was assessed with a tax liability of P3.33 million in 2005, P6.61 million in 2006, P6.27 million in 2007, P5.46 million in 2008, P3.17 million in 2009, P2.59 million in 2010, P2.07 million in 2011, P1.85 million in 2012, P1.94 million in 2013, and P2.32 million in 2014. (MNS)